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Woman's gruesome injury after clash with Byron Bay surfer: 'Left her bleeding'

The partner of a woman who was hurt and verbally abused by another surfer at Byron Bay over the weekend is likely to miss weeks of work as an aged carer due to the injury she sustained in the incident.

The woman, a seasoned surfer of 20 years, was paddling out at the main beach of the north coast NSW town when a man on a wave crashed into her and left her with an eight-centimetre gash.

Nharyan Feldmann told Yahoo News that his partner Ayumi Noha, who frequents the beach almost weekly, had gone to Bryon Bay on Sunday to catch some waves when the shocking incident took place.

Six-year-old Koa Feldmann with his mother Ayumi Noha; gash on leg suffered at Byron Bay
Six-year-old Koa stands with his mum Ayumi Noha, an aged care worker, who was injured after a fellow surfer crashed into her at Byron Bay. Source: Supplied

According to Mr Feldmann, a man ran over Ms Noha with his surfboard, slicing her left leg open, then called her a "whore" and "left her bleeding on the beach". In a Facebook appeal for information about the unknown surfer, Mr Feldmann explained that Ms Noha's injury will affect her ability to work.

"We have two kids, one with a disability. She won't be able to walk or work for two weeks at least," Mr Feldmann wrote. "This poor excuse for a human being abused her for the damage to his board and walked away."

Mr Feldmann said he is grateful for a group bystanders who came to his partner's aid. "I was home with our children. A bunch of guys offered her help and one of them drove her to Byron Hospital," he told Yahoo News. "They couldn't stitch it there as the wound was too messy. She managed to drive home and went to Tweed Hospital, where she was put under a general anaesthetic for the procedure."

Lucky to escape permanent damage

"Our six-year-old boy is special needs and extremely difficult in public settings so I was at home with him so as not to cause Ayumi more stress at the hospital," Mr Feldmann explained, before revealing that Ms Noha received about 15 stitches to close the cut on her leg. "She got lucky, no tendon or nerve damage," he said.

According to Mr Feldmann, while there were lifeguards in front of the local surf club when Ms Noha was injured, no alarm was raised. "Unfortunately, they didn't engage with the incident as it was too far down the beach," he said. Mr Feldmann also asked police for assistance finding the other surfer but said "there is little they can do even if we had his name".

Ms Noha was in a state of shock following the incident and couldn't remember anything except the black and white colour of the man's surfboard. She then recalls being being attended to by other beach-goers and rushed to the hospital by a man named Sam. "I wish I could thank them," Mr Feldmann said.

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