Blind grandmother lands monster 15st 4lb catfish... and enters the record books

A grandmother has entered the record books after catching the biggest ever freshwater fish by a British woman - a 15st 4lb catfish.

Sheila Penfold, who stands at just 5ft 3in and is registered blind , was nearly dragged into the river when the monster catfish took her bait during a holiday in Spain.



The 56-year-old had to be directed by husband Alan and son Arthur as she fought for 30 minutes to land the prized 214lb catch.

What a monster: Grandmother Sheila Penfold with a record 214lb catfish she caught on the River Ebro in Spain

It was the biggest fish ever caught by a woman in Spain.

Mrs Penfold, who is partially sighted, only realised how big her catch was when she saw it up close.

She said: 'I was exhausted but elated afterwards. The record has taken a while to sink in.



'I'm still walking around with a smile on my face. But it goes to show that just because you are blind it doesn't stop you breaking records like this.'

Mrs Penfold, from Wandsworth in London, used a bait of halibut pellets to snare the 8ft 2ins long catfish on the River Ebro near Barcelona.

She said: 'I had three rods lined up on the bank and when one of them tipped over Arthur told me which one it was.

'I grabbed hold of it and was immediately pulled towards the water. Luckily I managed to stop myself and I started to reel it in.



'But for some reason I turned round and said that I didn't think it was going to be a big one. Then all of a sudden it took off again and it took the line of the reel.

'When it broke the surface of the water Alan told me it was a big size. I saw it for the first time when it was near the edge and it looked a monster.'

The specimen was so huge it took Alan, a 62-year-old retired gardener, Arthur and two colleagues to heave it into a weighing slip.

Whopper: Mrs Penfold with tour guide Dan Davies, who helped her return the fish to the river in good health

After having her picture taken with it, Mrs Penfold returned the catfish back into the water in good health.



She said: 'Alan wasn't at all jealous and was really pleased for me.'

Mr Penfold said: 'She isn't really a big woman but she stuck to it and got it in the end, although it took everything out of her.

'She did brilliantly, especially as she is registered blind.'

The record for the biggest fish caught in Britain by a woman is a 69lb 8oz catfish caught by Bev Street, 46, from Skegness.



Mike Heylin, of the British Records Fish Committee, said: 'I would think this is the biggest freshwater fish caught by a British woman.



'The only freshwater fish that grow to that size in the world are either sturgeon or catfish.

