An enormous earthworm found by a Cheshire gardener has wriggled its way into the record books.

The unusually long annelid, which has been christened Dave, measures 40cm (15.7 in), making it the largest earthworm ever found in the UK, the Press Association (PA) reports.

Gardener Paul Rees, from Widnes, spotted the monster Lumbricus terrestris when it surfaced in his vegetable patch. His stepson George named the worm Dave.

Dave’s size, at three times longer and more than five times heavier than an average worm, has perplexed experts.