Kirstin, who is 5ft 2ins tall, said the 7ft long mighty specimen felt more like a bus as he struggled to reel it during an hour long battle.

Kirstin, Lee, 29, and another angler heaved the fish into a weighing sling and they were stunned when it measured 8st 6lbs - about the same as her.

She posed for an obligitatory photo with the catfish before returning it back to the lake alive and well.

Kirstin, a child minder from Lechlade, Glos, and Lee were on a three day trip to the Oakwood Park fishery in Thetford, Norfolk, when she landed the monster from the deep.
She said: 'I have only been fishing for a couple of years since I met Lee and do it for the fun of it.

'Lee is a bit of an expert and runs catfish trips to the River Ebro in Spain, so he knows what he is doing.

'We thought we would spend a couple of days together over here and at 5.15am we were sleeping in our tent when my rod alarm went off, so I got up and grabbed my rod.