“It’s not every week you say you’ve enjoyed the catch of a lifetime but it finally happened to me during my latest visit to the Hampshire Avon.

“Trotting flake over a bed of liquidised bread and hemp, it wasn’t long before I had my first roach of just over a pound.

“The next cast produced a 2lb 12oz 8dr cracker and throughout the rest of the day the big roach just kept on coming.

“I ended with a new PB of 2lb 14oz alongside others of 2lb 10oz, 2lb 8oz, 2lb 6oz, 2lb 4oz, 2lb 3oz, 2lb 1oz and two at 1lb 15oz…It was a catch I could only dream about!”