New River Cherwell barbel record is angler's first of the species!

Kenny Massey has broken the barbel river record for the Cherwell with a stunning 15lb 9oz specimen.

Not deterred by rumours that all the big barbel had been predated in the stretch, the London based angler visited a private stretch of the Oxfordshire venue, where he pre-baited several likely looking spots with broken boilies.

Kenny settled in his first swim and threw in some freebies before presenting a leger rig made up of 12lb mainline, a 3oz lead and a critically balanced meaty boilie wrapped in paste.

After only 30 minutes he received a screaming bite that resulted not only in a new best for the waterway but amazingly his first ever running water barbel. If claimed, the capture would beat the previous best for the Cherwell by a massive 2lb 9oz, an accoloade held by Mick Coleman since 2002.