A British tourist who was attacked by a shark in the Caribbean is "aware of what is happening and can communicate", it has been revealed.

Peter Smith was mauled 10 metres off the shore near the Starfish Hotel in Courland Bay on the north coast of Tobago on Friday morning.

The 64-year-old from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, was rushed to hospital after sustaining damage to his left arm and leg, puncture wounds to the abdomen and injuries to his right hand.

Now, his family have confirmed he was in a "stable" condition in Scarborough General Hospital in Tobago on Sunday after undergoing surgery.

His wife Jo said in a statement through the BBC: "As of 9am local time today, Peter is aware of what is happening and is able to communicate a little, although he is still under strong medication."

She also thanked "two friends" who remained in the water during the attack to "battle" the bull shark, which was estimated to be 8ft to 10ft long and 2ft wide.

Tobago's chief secretary Farley Augustine said the tourist was "doing well" and was being kept under sedation in the intensive care unit.

Augustine explained: "Some re-attachments were done, of fingers for example, and hopefully that will save those fingers. We know that there’s significant wounds on one of his legs that cannot be completely closed, but he will require extensive work.

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He added: "The task at this time for our health professionals is really to stabilise and ensure that we can save life and limb as much as possible. This was his last swim before departing Tobago to the United Kingdom and it’s regrettable that this happened on his very last day vacationing on island."

Eyewitnesses said Smith was only in waist-deep water when he was attacked, and that people nearby tried to chase off the predator.

Stephanie Wright, from West Sussex, told The Sun: "We saw some people on the beach, and I originally thought the gentleman had had a cardiac arrest, and I thought they were helping him.

"And then I saw someone running down with a towel, and then I saw a dorsal fin come out of the water and thought, 'Oh my God, it's a shark.' As it turned, I saw the tail come out as well, as it swam off."

Several beaches and coastal areas were closed and a $10,000 (£8,000) bounty previously offered to anyone who could capture the shark was later retracted.

According to the Florida-based International Shark Attack File, there were 69 unprovoked shark attacks and 22 provoked bites worldwide, along with 14 fatalities last year.