Great white shark leaps from the sea and photobombs new friends posing for pictures on a California beach

Rania Melhem was filming Erin King at Marina State Beach on Saturday 17 October when the shark breached behind her. Melhem and her sisters Rachal and Aya had only 'randomly met' King on the sand that day. The group initially assumed it was a dolphin, an idea dispelled when an actual dolphin pod appeared shortly afterwards. California State Parks confirmed a great white broke the surface off the shore at the same time, and shark notices have since been posted.

King, born and raised locally, had come out to enjoy 'some October sunshine'.

Great white sharks can reach lengths of up to 20ft and a weight of as much as 4,000lb.

Park officials say human encounters with sharks are 'rare'.