Indian snakehead fish hooked in UK

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Capable of growing to more than 5ft and boasting a large mouthful of sharp teeth, the creature usually preys on other fish, amphibians and even small birds in its natural habitat.

But the Environment Agency tried to allay fears of a giant snakehead invasion in Britain, saying the species of Channidae would stand little chance of surviving a winter in the East Midlands.

The agency will still monitor the section of the River Witham, near North Hykeham, from where the snakehead was caught for signs of a fungal disease common in the fish.

It is suspected the caught snakehead, reportedly a 2ft specimen, was let loose by an owner after it became too big for its tank.

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: "It requires temperatures of 25 to 28 degrees so it's unlikely to have survived in the water.

"We are not sure where it's come from. It was so cold it might have been able to survive by eating other species. It's voracious and can out-compete native species.

"The big message is that you don't put fish like this in native waters. We would hope that if someone put it in then it was the only one. If it's been put in there from another source we are concerned about disease."

University experts confirmed that the Lincolnshire fish was a giant snakehead by studying photographs of it.

Angler Andy Alder, of Lincoln, who caught the snakehead, told a national newspaper: "It had a gob full of razor-sharp teeth. To be honest it looked terrifying." He has since disposed of the fish.