Teenage angler catches largest goldfish ever found in Britain

A schoolboy has reeled in what is thought to be the biggest goldfish ever found in Britain.

The 5lb monster, measuring almost one and a half feet long, was plucked from a lake in Poole, Dorset, by 16-year-old Nick Richards. The fish is thought to have been abandoned after outgrowing its tank and thrived on plenty of food in the sheltered lake. It now beats Goldie who at 15.7 inches long and weighing 2lb, claimed the title in 2008.

The teenager said: "At first I thought it must be a really fat koi carp, but when I saw it properly I realised it was a common goldfish - just like one you might keep as a pet. It looked healthy and in good condition."

He jokingly named it Billy, after a cartoon character, before throwing it back.