Young angler Callum Pettit, from Hamstreet near Ashford, lands record-breaking common carp
Published: 12:30, 19 May 2022
Updated: 15:20, 19 May 2022
A young angler has written his name in the record books after landing the largest common carp ever caught by a junior.
Callum Pettit, from Hamstreet near Ashford, caught the monster fish while angling with his dad Stuart at a lake near Reims in France.
The 11-year-old, who is a pupil at the Hamstreet Primary Academy, spent 20 minutes fighting with the seven-stone beast.
Once it was brought ashore and weighed - coming in a whopping 96lb 10oz - it dawned on his dad that the incredible catch meant his lad was destined for the record books.
Mr Pettit said: "It is a once-in-a-lifetime fish and Callum has caught it aged 11. Where does he go from here?
"He would have more of a chance of winning the lottery than catching a bigger carp than that."
Callum said: "I couldn't believe how big it was and my arms were really aching afterwards."
The fish, nicknamed Big Girl, was caught using the young angler's special banoffee-flavoured bait.
More by this author
Rhys Griffiths