After 1,200 miles, it's 15 doubles from nine rivers

A challenge to try and catch 14 double figure barbel from 14 different rivers in a fortnight has raised £2,500 for the Army Benevolent Fund.

In the end, Barbel Society members Jerry Gleeson and Paul Floyd managed 15 doubles to 12lb 10oz from nine different waterways after travelling the length and breadth of the country.

The biggest two fish fell to Jerry, who took 12lb-plus barbel from both the Soar and the Trent, with the highlight of Paul’s catches a new personal best of 11lb 9oz.

“We didn’t think we had a chance of catching as many as we did but to get 10 doubles from the first six rivers was incredible. Barbel were landed on every venue apart from the lower Severn. The best result was probably on the Arun when Dave Chambers, who had joined us for that particular leg, caught a double within an hour of starting. We covered over 1,200 miles and we didn’t get much sleep, the adrenalin kept us going!” he said.