One-time rugby player Pat Poulton made his name as an aggressive no 8 for Old Patesians, but these days he is breaking records on the banks of the Severn.

You see Poulton, now 57, is a very keen angler – he’s fished for some 45 years – and recently set a record for the biggest ever barbel caught on the Severn.

“It weighed 17lb 12oz which is pretty impressive,” said Poulton with obvious pride. “That’s three ounces bigger than the previous best on the Severn.”

He was fishing in Gloucestershire – he won’t say exactly where because he doesn’t want angling enthusiasts flooding to the spot – and in fact had a very good couple of days because he caught six barbel in total.

It was a good homecoming for Cheltenham-born Poulton, a retired builder, because he moved to Devon with his wife Sue 15 years ago.

Back in the day he was an all-action rugby player and was a key part of the Old Pats success in both the leagues and the cups in the 80s and 90s.

He was primarily a back row player but could also play in the second row and front row. The former Bournside School pupil also spent three years at Cheltenham.