The Lions Club of Morpeth held its annual Fontburn Charity Fishing Competition on Saturday 5^th May and enjoyed some of the best weather seen in over 20 years of holding the event.

Record catches were the order of the day with bumper bags of trout for many of the 56 anglers taking part. Over 370lb of Rainbow trout were weighed in, for which the Fontburn Ranger Team are to be congratulated.

The heaviest senior bag in the competition was won by Derek Hodgson at 23lb, with Morpeth postman Robert Marshall taking second prize with 22lb 4oz. The heaviest fish was caught by Tommy Bourne at 4lb.

In the Juniors competition Dominic Pearson triumphed with a lovely bag of fish weighing 20lb 8oz including a 4lb 1oz beauty. Keiran Bowden and Robert Ford were also prize winners with last year’s winner Shay Gofton just missing out.

Lions Club event organiser, Graham Tait said “this has really been a fantastic days fishing, and it was very pleasing to see so many happy faces.

We are grateful to Northumbrian Water for their continued generous support and the use of their excellent facilities. We would also like to thank our other main sponsor, Frasers Angling and Outdoors (Gateshead) for their valuable contribution. Also the Wansbeck Angling Association for their services monitoring the event and conducting the “weigh-in”.

The money raised from the event will assist The Lions Club of Morpeth meet some of the many local requests for help that it receives”.