A surfer has had a narrow escape from a shark in northern NSW.

Footage caught on a surf camera at Cabarita Beach at 7.26am today and shared on the Instagram page “18 Seconds” shows a surfer in the water alongside a dark shape, before splashing.

A photo posted on the account shows a surfer in a wetsuit standing with a surfboard broken in two, with what appears to be a huge bite taken out of it.

Footage posted on Facebook also shows the surfer standing with the remains of the board on the beach, as a friend comes and hugs him.

Kim Maree shared the video and said: “A bit of drama on the beach after I filmed the beautiful sunrise. Another shark attack”.

The NSW Shark Smart account confirmed a “reported shark incident at Norries Head Beach, Cabarita”.

Surf website Beach Grit names the surfer as Brad Ross.

Local reports say a great white shark was spotted by a drone soon after.

Cabarita Beach is south of Kingscliff, just south of the NSW-Queensland border.

Surfing great Kelly Slater expressed his disbelief about the lucky escape.

“How does it bite that much and miss the guy? Insane!” he wrote in an Instagram comment.

The beach has been closed by the local council.