World Surf League event in New Zealand put on hold after photographer bitten by ‘shark or a sea lion’

• Semi-final interrupted after ‘code red’ activated for first time

• Photographer in stable condition after being taken to hospital

The World Surf League event in New Zealand was abruptly halted on finals day after a photographer was bitten by a sea creature.

The photographer was attacked just before 8.30am while documenting the men’s semi-finals at the New Zealand Pro, held near Raglan on the west coast of the North Island. The competition was halted 10 minutes in and Brazilian surfers Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira were extracted from the water on jet skis.