An enormous goldfish was caught earlier this week by a 16-year-old angler in his local fishing lake.
Nick Richards was fishing for carp using bread bait in a lake in Poole, Dorset when he noticed a flash of colour under the water surface and cast out to that area.
He was astonished when he pulled out a goldfish weighing 5lb (2.3kg) and measuring 40cm16". He told newspapers:
"I'd heard rumours there might be some big carp there and thought I'd see for myself. I was there for two days running and caught some big Common carp.
"Then suddenly I saw this big orange fish cruising along the top of the lake. At first I thought it must be a really fat Koi, but when I saw it properly I realised it was a Common goldfish – just like one you might keep as a pet.
"It looked like it was healthy and in good condition. The lake is sheltered with plenty of food, so it's doing pretty well. Earlier in the day I'd joked that if I caught a big fish I'd call it Billy, so of course the goldfish got the name."
Billy the goldfish is probably the biggest goldfish ever caught in the UK although Ruth Lockwood, from the English Carp Heritage Organisation, said: "It's difficult to confirm that it is the biggest ever caught because it is an ornamental fish and the record won't be recognised by the British Records Fish Committee."
"Hobbyists must be reminded that it is illegal to release pet fish into the wild - it is a crime. It has a massive impact on the environment and our native species and must not be encouraged."
Goldfish typically grow to sizes of up to 20cm/8" and may live for 20 years.
Goldfish record holders
- In 2008, Goldie the pet goldfish from Folkestone, Kent, was branded the biggest in Britain. It measured 15.7" in length and weighed 2lbs.
- The world's longest goldfish in the Guinness Book of Records was owned by Joris Gijsbers from the Netherlands and measured 47.4 cm/18.7" from snout to tail-fin end in 2003. Until then the record was held by Bruce the red Oranda, belonging to breeders in Hong Kong, but he probably still retains the title of world's biggest fancy goldfish at a whopping 37cm/15".
- The heaviest is listed by the IGFA as weighing 4.26 kgs caught in California.
- The oldest recorded goldfish lived for 41 years although they typically live for 15-20 years.