KEITH PASSANT landed a monster on his latest sea fishing trip.

On his fortnightly exursion to Watchet with a friend, who has a boat moored there, he caught a massive 52lb conger eel.

The beast was landed using just 18lb braid line with a 25lb leader and a 5/0 hook.

"It took just over 15 minutes to land," said Passant, "I expected a stronger fight.

"It was about six and a half feet long and we had to bring it back in the boot of the car in a crate. We cut it up into steaks for the freezer and have certainly been enjoying them since."

And he added: "It is alleged by the locals that it was the biggest conger to come out of the British Channel since 1986."

The 48-year-old Cheney Manor Industrial Estate Hire Centre manager is also a conventional angler.

He is chairman of the North Wilts Fly Fishing Club who meet every Tuesday evening at Wroughton's Working Men's Club.