New Zealand man gets attacked by shark, stiches self up, goes to pub

There's keeping calm in a crisis, and there's this.

A junior doctor in New Zealand who was attacked by a shark while spearfishing fended off the beast, stiched up his own wounds with a first aid kit and then went for a pint.

They breed 'em hard in NZ, apparently.

(James Grant being interviewed by NZ's 3 News Channel )

The incident took place on Saturday.

"[I felt] something tugging on my leg, and I thought it might have been one of my dive buddies," junior doctor James Grant (24), from Southland told 3 News .

"I turned around and I saw a big silver face looking at me and a big body trailing off behind."

According to James, the shark in question was a sevengill, probably attracted to the scene by the blood from fish he had just caught.

"[I thought] bugger, now I have to try and get this thing off my leg," he told Radio New Zealand, promptly attacking it with his diving knife.

The shark let go of his leg, after which James went ashore, retrieved his first aid kit from the car, examined his leg wounds and - as you do - promptly sat down and stitched himself up.

Having attracted the attention of his still-fishing friends - who thought he was taking the mickey when he said he'd been attacked by a shark - the lads retired to the nearby Colac Bay Tavern.

"I gave him a pint of beer and his mates were kicking around laughing," barman Warren Bevin told 3 News.

"We brought out the big first aid kit - there was a couple of big holes on both sides of his leg."

James' colleagues at Southland hospital later stitched up his leg properly, leaving the enterprising doctor with little to show for his shark attack but some minor stiching and a hell of a fishy tale.

WATCH: Video report of James' adventures

(H/T: Mark Little)