Leamington Angling Association member Robert Swann ended the season in style with what’s thought to be a river record barbel from the Warwickshire Avon.

Robert was fishing the association’s stretch of the Midlands river at Wasperton using good, old fashioned barbel tactics – luncheon meat over a bed of groundbait – to land the fish that took the scales around to exactly 17lb.

River barbel specialist Andy Hart, who has had barbel to 16lb 2oz from the river, confirmed that Robert’s fish beat’s the existing record or 16lb 4oz banked by Dave Clarkson at Bidford.

“The bigger barbel seem to be singular fish and tend to swim around with the carp – which are also packing it on. I’ve heard of carp of over 40lb from the Warwickshire Avon,â€