An angler secured a "once in a lifetime" catch after he wrestled a giant pike from a river in the "heart of Norfolk."

Jack Turner, 35, from Attleborough, caught the monster weighing 33lb and 13oz using dead bait on Monday morning while fishing with his cousin.

Mr Turner said: "It was absolutely fantastic. People I've spoken to who have been pike fishing for 20 years have never caught one this big.

Eastern Daily Press: Mr Turner was fishing with his cousin Francis Bailyss, when he caught the large pikeMr Turner was fishing with his cousin Francis Bailyss, when he caught the large pike (Image: Francis Bailyss)

"To start with, I thought it was a little jack pike but we soon realised it was much bigger. Once we got it in the net it went absolutely mental and started fighting us."

The pike is 13lbs short of the biggest ever caught in the UK officially, which was snagged by Roy Lewis at the Llandegfedd Reservoir in South Wales in 1992, weighing 46lbs and 13oz.

Mr Turner, who works as a maintenance manager, is keeping the exact location where he caught the fish a mystery, so the area doesn't become too well-known among the fishing community.

After the fish was caught it was released back into the river.

Mr Turner added: "I've been fishing for 20 years but this was only the second time I've gone dead bait fishing for pike, which makes this catch even better. Before I've tried lure bait fishing but never had luck like this.

"I'm usually a big carp fishermen and travel all round the county for the best spots but it was the right time and right location for pike."

The pike is a freshwater fish that can be found across the UK in lakes and rivers and can reach up to 1.5m in length.

It uses vegetation to hide from unsuspecting prey before darting out at ferocious speeds to catch its target. Pike have even been known to eat prey up to half its own body weight, such as moorhens and young ducks.

Mr Turner is hoping to pass on his love of fishing to his children and has already got his three sons hooked.

Mr Turner said: "I get to take the kids out quite often to local lakes to chuck a rod in so they can get a taste for it. They love it."

Norfolk has some great fishing spot to try. Here are five campsites with fishing lakes and nearby rivers to explore.