A keen fisherman landed a highly unexpected catch while fishing in the Thames.

Tench used to be quite common on the Thames at Medley Weir, Donnington and some other areas around Oxford as well as Eynsham and Wallingford.

However they have become increasingly uncommon and are only found in small isolated populations in abandoned backwaters, weed-chocked margins and marinas.

Victor Kmec, director of AV Boats, a boat hire business in Abingdon, landed the surprise catch last weekend.

He said: "It is an extremely rare fish. Let's say you are a professional fisherman and you go out on a lovely day, you will get one in every 10 years.

"I caught it last Sunday afternoon at around three o'clock. I was using a float with a lob worm and an 8lb line just below the Abingdon bridge on a platform at AV Boats.

"It weighed 5lb 8oz and was 50 cm in length."

The biggest tench ever caught by design in Britain weighed 15lb.

Mr Kmec, who also runs a fishing tackle shop in Abingdon, added: "I was extremely lucky, it was a beautiful sight.

"Once I realised what it was I got very excited. When I landed it, I said 'wow, that's a tench'. And it was a 20 year old fish."