PICTURED: British schoolboy, eight, who was bitten by three sharks on family Caribbean holiday after tourists 'started chucking their lunch into the water' 

• Finley Downer, eight, was attacked by three nurse sharks in horrific 'Jaws attack'
• He was dragged to safety by his sister, 12, during excursion to Compass Cay 
• Finley's father, Michael, 44, is furious the tour guides told him sharks were safe
• However tour operator said the family went, without a guide, into a lagoon

A British schoolboy was savaged by three sharks while he was on a family holiday in the Caribbean after tourists 'started chucking their lunch into the water'.

Finley Downer, eight, was in The Bahamas with his family last week on an excursion to the protected harbour Compass Cay when the horrific attack happened.  

The terrified youngster had to be dragged to safety by his 12-year-old sister during the £200 per person trip after at least three nurse sharks bit both of the boy's legs.

Finley's father, Michael, 44, had booked the luxurious summer holiday with his three children, Finley, Lily, nine, and Emily, 12, alongside the five-island excursion that also included guided swimming with pigs.

Mr Downer said his children saw a shiver of sharks swimming in a nearby lagoon later in the trip next to a crowd of holidaymakers and went over - unaware they were feeding on scraps being thrown to them.

Finley's mother Kerry, 40, who is divorced from Mr Downer, told MailOnline: 'It wasn't Fin's fault. He was encouraged to go in the water as part of the tour, he didn't know not to.

'But people started chucking their lunch in and the sharks attacked him. He was only in the water for a couple of minutes. It was just a freak accident.'

Mr Downer told how his son was left with 'huge chunks of flesh hanging off both legs' in scenes he described as being like movie Jaws. 

He believes Finley only survived the horror attack because a nurse was among tourists who helped stem the blood and he was able to pay for a private plane to take the stricken youngster to hospital for life saving surgery. 

As Finley was recovering back as his home in Weldon, near Corby, Northamptonshire today - vowing 'never again to go in water with sharks' - his father relived the nightmare ordeal.

Mr Downer, 44, an account and sales director for an IT company, said: 'Finlay will hopefully be up and about walking in a months and will have a good story to tell his mates when he goes back to school - his he survived a triple shark attack. They probably won't believe him.

'It was absolutely horrendous and after being bitten on both legs with huge chunks of flesh hanging off them both he was gripping my hand and pleading, 'Don't let me die dad, I don't want to die' and I was trying to reassure him 'You'll be OK son!

'The back of his lower legs were hanging off and you could see all the fat and muscle. It was disgusting and I almost passed out and was nearly sick.

'Finlay was being so brave. We could have lost him.'

Mr Downer, speaking to MailOnline from his home, told how the family's 11-night dream trip to The Bahamas turned to horror on seventh day.

Finley was savaged by three nurse sharks - which can be as long as 14 feet - in an unprovoked attack during a £200-per-person excursion or the protected harbour Compass Cay.

He was lifted to safety by his 12-year-old elder sister Emily.

His father said: 'It was like a scene straight out of Jaws.'

Mr Downer had flown with his three children, also Lily, aged nine, who he shared with ex wife Kerry, for the summer break last week.

Their day trip with other tourists included guided swims with iguanas, pugs and nurse sharks.

Mr Downer explained: 'The tour guide joked to us that whoever didn't have their photo taken with the sharks on the water wouldn't be allowed back in the boat.

'The water was crystal clear and me and my kids got in, swimming with the sharks and striking them, with lots of others too.

'The guide said not to be scared and they wouldn't bite, their teeth was so small, and to be more afraid of the pigs!

'A local girl was filming a for a TV show nearby about making kids' dreams come true swimming with sharks.'

But then the boat for Exumar Escapes broke down down and while the captain and tour guide stayed with it waiting for it to be fixed, the trippers were taken by another boat for lunch at a nearby place, Staniel Cay, which is where horror struck.

Mr Downer said that awhile they were waiting to order a meal his children decided to join others in the water where dozens of 'harmless' sharks were swimming.

They were unaware that locals were throwing scraps of food including lobster remains to them in a well meant gesture to get them to go near the children.

Mr Downer said: 'I was on the side suddenly I heard terrified screaming. The sharks were in a feeding frenzy and were circulating around Finley and Lilly with their tails thrashing.

'They were trying to beat them off with her hands then Finley was bitten by three on both legs.

'The water was shallow and he jumped into his sister's arms and the Emily grabbed him and they managed to get out.

'There was so much blood. Bits of his leg were hanging off. Finlay kept saying, 'Dad I don't want to die.' He was hysterical.

'One off the tourists was a doctor and shouted for the restaurant to get towels and she stemmed the blood and wrapped his legs up. We got him to a local clinic in a golf buggy where a nurse stitched him up and gave him pain killer injections.

Later his father paid for a private £2,000 flight to take him to Nassau where he underwent a three-hour operation.

His dad said: 'My son was very very lucky. The fact that a nurse was around, we got to the clinic and a plane to the main hospital were in our favour and really helped save him.

'His legs will repair but he will be very badly scarred and may need skin grafts.'

The family arrived home on Saturday.

Brave Finlay, with both legs heavily bandaged, said: 'It's not hurting so much now. It's not the sharks' fault but I'll never go in the water with sharks again, I'll just watch.'

Mr Downer is not blaming the tour company or his children for the attack.

He said: 'It was an very unfortunate accident. We were led to believe the sharks weren't dangerous but any animal can suddenly turn and bite, even a dog. It's no one's fault.

'I'm happy to be seen as a bad parent who lets my kids do an excursion which I understood was safe.

'We didn't think it was a risk, as much as you think these activities are safe things can happen so I hope it serves as a warning to other people.'

Mr Downner pointed out he had seen no warning signs about the sharks at the second spot.

But when he researched shark attacks in the same location he found a report of a 18-year-old woman Katarina Zarytskie who had been attacked in 2017. She had her arm badly bitten.

He said: 'In the article there was a picture of a warning sign stating 'Sharks do and can bite. Swim at own risk. Never attempt to feed a shark.'

Mr Downer added: 'We never saw that sign and don't know if it is there today and the boatman never pointed it out or advised the children not to go in the water.

'My kids have been on holidays before and have swam with whale sharks in Mexico abd dolphins elsewhere.

'They are brilliant swimmers. But this time Finlay got unlucky. It is a holiday we'll never forget. He was terrified and so were the girls, and I admit I was too.'

Kerry, who has 15-month-old twin daughters with her new partner, added: 'When my ex husband Michael rang me to say there has been an accident but not to panic it broke my heart that I couldn't be there with him.

'I was thousands of miles away, I wasn't on holiday with them. If it was Europe I would have gone out.

'I kept FaceTiming Fin and he was saying 'Mummy, I'm scared' when he was going into surgery. It was heart breaking.'

Mrs Downer, from Mawsley Northampton, said: 'I couldn't wait to see him and the moment he was allowed to fly back he came home. 

'He lives mainly with me but stays with his two sisters at his dad's.

'I gave him a big hug and he's now back to his normal cheeky self and is trying to walk.

'He's my only boy, he's only eight years old bless him.

'Michael would never put him in danger, he is an amazing dad and he coped very well with the ordeal.'

Operator Exuma Escapes claimed the family went without a guide into a lagoon that is not used on its tour.

Their website says that the nurse sharks at Compass Cay 'were initially brought as pets, however, after gaining popularity through tourism, the Compass Cay Marina has turned the environment into a sanctuary.'

It added: 'The sharks are smooth to the touch as they swim up and rub against your legs. They have a brown tone and usually don't mind closeness to other sharks and humans.'

Mr Downer had been due to jet off on a second summer holiday to the Dominican Republic with Finley, Lily, Emily and friends at the weekend but will have to cancel it.

The father-of-three explained: 'Finley's up for it, he wants to go, he's so resilient but it's too much of a risk with his stitches.

'He needs to heal properly before going abroad again.'