Sydney aquarium to release shark after pool-aided rescue

It looks incongruous at first glance: a great white shark swims in a pool as relaxed-appearing sunbathers watch on.

The unusual scene was part of a rescue effort for the 1.5m (3ft) juvenile shark, after it was earlier spotted stranded on a Sydney beach.

The shark was helped by marine experts who gave it sanctuary in an ocean pool. The pool was then shut to swimmers.

It was later taken to an aquarium and nicknamed "Fluffy" by staff, who plan to release it back into the sea.

On Monday, locals at Sydney's Manly Beach watched as the shark was transported to the pool on a stretcher.

"Five people were swimming in the pool at the time and they hopped out very quickly," one witness, Alex Martiniuk, told the BBC.

"The guys needed to work fairly quickly and lifted the shark into the pool and down the steps."

The shark had some superficial injuries, authorities said.

"A lot of people were asking how it had got into the pool, people assuming it had leapt in," Ms Martiniuk said.

Robbie McCracken, from the Manly Sea Life Sanctuary, said the shark had been in a state of stress.

"Its best chance for survival is to be back out in the wild after it has had a chance to rest and recover from its ordeal," he told the Australia Broadcasting Corp on Tuesday.