YORK angler Peter Child proved a man of bronze in the Embassy Veterans' national angling championships.

Child, a retired plasterer, swept to third place at the Hallcroft Fisheries complex in East Retford with a total weight of 14.280 kilogrammes from Reed Pool. It was the third highest weight in the history of the competition with the top nine fishermen all beating the previous best of 11.420 kg.

Besides his coveted bronze medal, the 67-year-old Child also collected a cool £420 in prize money.

Fishing pellet on a size 14 hook at 11 metres, he landed one roach and five good carp, including specimens of 6.2kg and 4kg, the last right on the final whistle, and all after he endured a poor start to the day.

He explained: "I lost three carp and only landed that single roach in the first 2 hours, but then I came up in the water and fished at 18 inches.

"I started catching and I had a real tussle to get the 4kg carp in the net because I was tangled up with the angler next to me."

Updated: 08:36 Wednesday, July 16, 2003