Earlsfield gran hooks record breaking 8ft catfish (From Your Local Guardian)

Earlsfield gran hooks record breaking 8ft catfish

10:21am Friday 29th January 2010

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An Earlsfield grandmother broke a world record after catching a gigantic freshwater fish.

Partially-sighted Sheila Penfold, 56, of Whitehead Close, pulled in the sea monster while fishing in the River Ebro during her holiday in Spain.

She was almost dragged into the river when the 8ft 2in catfish took her bait of halibut pellets, but she stood firm and struggled with the creature for 30 minutes.

She said: “That was when the adrenaline kicked in.

“I was holding on to the rod and the fish pulled me forward.

“It felt like I had hooked a car, it was a long old fight.

“Then the others saw it break the surface and said how big it was.”

Mrs Penfold, who stands at just 5ft 3in and is registered blind, first realised she had caught something when her rod tipped towards the water.

She managed to grab hold of it and was nearly pulled into the water, but stopped herself and began reeling it in.

She only realised the size of the 214lb load when she began heaving it up to the shore with the help of her husband Alan and son Arthur.

Mrs Penfold said: “Our guide said, ‘My god, it looks like you might have broken a record here’.

“I couldn’t stop smiling. It was so lovely.

“My husband and son are a real support.

“Alan was over the moon for me, he wasn’t jealous.”

The fish was so big it took Alan, a 62-year-old retired gardener, Arthur and two colleagues to weigh it.

It was then returned back to the water in good health.

Mrs Penfold became the first woman to catch a fish that size in Spain.

The British record is held by Bev Street, 46, of Skegness, who caught a 69lb 8oz catfish.

Mrs Penfold added: “Sometimes I wish I could see all the fight. I do miss out on that. But I didn’t have any help reeling it in and I hope it gives an incentive to people with a disability to go out and do things.”

The achievement was recorded by Catmaster Tours, which runs fishing expeditions in the Barcelona area for tourists.

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