Sharks spotted along Papamoa Beach

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Sharks were spotted just metres from the waters edge along Papamoa Beach this afternoon.

Families were swimming in shallow waters when about two or three sharks were spotted swimming in close to shore at 2.30pm.

They were believed to be Bronze Whaler sharks.

Amber Mead was swimming at the beach with her family when her 6-year-old daughter, Katelyn was the first to spot a shark only metres away.

"We took the girls down for a swim and my daughter said she saw a shark but we didn't believe her at first until we actually saw one swimming quite close to them,"

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Mrs Mead said her children ran out of the water and a small crowd from people nearby began to follow shark down shore.

"My partner and kids followed it down the beach and I was waiting where they first saw the first [shark], and there was another one there as well."

She said there were seagulls diving in the water at the time, so "she didn't think anything of it" when her daughter called shark.

"There where quite a few seagulls diving and I thought she had just mistaken one of them for a sharks fin."

"And then we saw what it was and they were out of the water fast."

"It was an exciting start to our long weekend."

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