Shark hero sacked over sick leave

A pensioner who was hailed a hero after grappling with a shark in Australia has been sacked after it emerged he was on sick leave with stress.

Paul Marshallsea, 62, waded in to the surf and grabbed the 6ft shark by the tail amid fears it would attack paddling children.

The charity worker, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, claims he risked his life at the beach outside Brisbane in January.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A local TV news crew caught his intervention on camera and his exploits were beamed around the world.

But also watching were trustees of the Pant and Dowlais Boys & Girls Club, a children’s charity for which he worked – he had been away on work-related stress since last April.

The grandfather-of-one and his wife Wendy, 56, who also worked for the charity and was off ill at the time, flew back to the UK to letters informing them they had been sacked.

He hit back yesterday saying he was “disgusted” by the way he had been treated.

He claims that, as he had waded in and saved the lives of children, he should have received a pat on the back.

He added he took the holiday with his wife on the advice of his GP.

Related topics: