A YORK angler leapt for joy after netting the rarest catch of his life from the River Ouse - a 12-pound salmon.

Peter Edwards, 35, of Maple Grove, Fulford, was fishing for pike by the falls at Naburn, York, with his partner Elizabeth Parnell, when they spotted a fish leaping from the water.

Within seconds of casting out again, his rod was bending from the weight of the large salmon, which was fighting to free itself.

Peter said: "I've been fishing a long time but I've never hooked anything as lively as that before. It was like hooking a speed boat.

"I've known a lot of friends to get them on the line but never to reel them in. It's very rare for the Ouse. Fortunately that day I had a very strong carp rod and line."

Peter struggled for more than 20 minutes to reel in the salmon which was weighed at 12lb 2oz.

Eventually it was plucked out of the river by Elizabeth using a net. She said: "I thought he'd caught a big pike at first. We couldn't believe it. I nearly fell in trying to get it in!"

The couple put the fish safely back in the water after they photographed it.

Peter said: "It's one of my rarest catches - an unbelievable feeling."

Jason Watts, fisheries management officer for the Environment Agency, said salmon had been returning to the Ouse over the last few years for the first time since they disappeared at the turn of the 20th century because of pollution.

He said: "We've been working closely with industries, particularly in the Selby area, in cleaning up the Ouse to allow the salmon back."

More and more salmon had been seen at Naburn and Linton locks, and baby salmon further up. Mr Edwards had done the right thing in putting the salmon straight back in the water.

Mr Watts stressed that anyone wishing to fish for salmon must have a migratory salmonid rod licence, available at post offices.

PICTURE: Peter Edwards with the 12lb 2oz salmon he caught on the Ouse at Naburn