Man lucky to be alive after wrestling a crocodile during an afternoon swim in Lake Placid, Cairns

A man has suffered cuts to his face and neck after wrestling himself from the jaws of a crocodile while taking an afternoon dip. 

Mark Ridge was swimming in Lake Placid in Cairns, Queensland, when he was attacked by the crocodile at about 12.40pm on Thursday.  

Mr Ridge was miraculously able to prise himself free and swim slowly to shore.

Mark Ridge (pictured) was swimming in Lake Placid in Cairns, Queensland, when he felt the jaws of a crocodile on his head before managing to free himself 

The crocodile responsible is believed to be about 2.5 metres long (stock image)

Critical care paramedic Paul Sweeney said the 44-year-old was treated for multiple lacerations to his head, hands, and shoulder but was lucky that crocodile’s teeth had not severed one of the arteries in his neck, which could have been fatal. 

The crocodile responsible is believed to be about 2.5 metres long.  

‘If it was any larger we’d be talking about a fatality not a non fatal,’ Dr Matt Brien from the Department of Environment and Science told Seven News . 

Mr Ridge’s daughter Mili said he is ‘in pain’ but will be fine.

‘He is at home resting, he said his head hurts a bit and he is in pain but should be OK,’ she said. 

Pictures of Mr Ridge’s injuries, shared with Seven News, show cuts to his scalp and under his ear.  

Pictures of Mr Ridge’s injuries show cuts to his scalp and under his ear

Mr Sweeney said the father was conscious when paramedics arrived. 

‘There was definite evidence of puncture wounds through his scalp to the right side of his head from either the upper or lower jaw,’ he said. 

‘There were additional puncture wounds, then, to the left angle of the jaw, the cheekbone there and the jaw, corresponding to a bite which the … the animal has bitten his head with jaws either side’. 

Mr Ridge was doing swimming training in the water, Mr Sweeney said, when he felt a ‘sudden impact clasp on the top of his head’.

‘He put his hands into the jaws to prise them off his head, and when he did so and let go, the jaw snapped shut onto his left forefinger, which wasn’t broken or severed thankfully,’ he said. 

Mr Ridge was transported to Cairns Hospital where he is in a stable condition. 

Rangers from Queensland Parks and Wildlife are investigating the croc attack.  

Warning signs were recently put up at the popular tourist spot after sightings of a two metre crocodile in the area. 

Mr Ridge apparently swum back slowly to shore, terrified the reptile would attack again. Pictured: Lake Placid