Video: Terrifying moment a shark swims ashore at Collaroy

This is the terrifying footage that shows a shark swims ashore at Collaroy’s Fishermans Beach, on Sydney’s northern beaches, before it thrashes about in ankle-deep water.

A Wheeler Heights man has filmed the terrifying moment a shark made its way to the shallows of Collaroy’s Fishermans Beach where it began thrashing about on the shoreline.

Michael Dingwall, who believed the shark was up to 5 feet (1.5m) long, filmed the rare footage late last month.

Related: Youtube video of a man swimming with a great white at Manly

“I wasn’t going to get too close,” he said. “When it came up the beach everyone took a step back.

“I’ve been walking up and down the northern beaches for the past 30 years and I’ve never seen a shark come that close to shore.”

It’s possible the shark is a ‘blue shark’ (pictured above).

Mr Dingwall said he wasn’t sure how long the shark had been lurking in ankle-deep water, but when he arrived the shark hung around for a few minutes before heading back out to sea.

Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary’s life sciences manager Rob Townsend said the shark may have become disoriented after chasing a fish.

While the footage wasn’t clear enough to tell what type it was, he guessed it was a blue or a mako shark.

It has also been suggested the shark is a mako shark.