An angler fishing for bass with sandeel has boated a massive ballan wrasse less than a pound short of the British record.

Paul Buckingham was fishing on a charter trip out of Salcombe in Devon when the big ballan struck. At 8lb 12 oz it’s only 11oz off the record.

The retired policeman from Saltdean in East Sussex was fishing over a reef mark with live sandeel on a 4/0 fine wire hook and a long trace. Ballans are not usually taken on sandeels, although the big ones do occasionally take lures.

The fish came during a trip aboard Ted Cooke’s boat Anglo Dawn II. The British boat caught record of 9lb 7oz 12dr was taken off Jersey in 1999.