Jan. 5, 2015, 9:30 p.m.

Three beaches were closed for most of Monday, after a four-metre shark was seen lurking off Warilla.

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Three beaches were closed for most of Monday, after a four-metre shark was seen lurking off Warilla.

Lifeguards raised the alarm about 10.15am after spotting the shark 15 metres off the breakwall at Warilla South Beach.

"The beach was quickly closed and all swimmers in Little Lake were alerted to the sighting," a Shellharbour City Council spokesperson said.

Warilla, Warilla North and Warilla South beaches were closed while the Bendigo Bank Aerial Patrol conducted a sweep of the area.

Aerial patrol chief Harry Mitchell said a number of reports had been made in recent weeks of a shark off Warilla but shark-spotting planes had not sighted the creature.

"I think it has been there for three or four weeks. We've been flying over the area every day, making six passes a day, but haven't seen that shark," Mr Mitchell said.

Although the aerial patrol did not find the shark, the beaches remained closed all day on Monday as a precaution.

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Shark sighting closes Warilla beach