NEARLY 40 kayak fishermen took to the chilly Bristol Channel at the weekend for the fifth annual Blue Anchor Cod Classic.

And although their haul was less than spectacular there was a good catch for the RNLI, with £350 raised on the day handed over specifically for Minehead lifeboat station.

Kayak fishing is a rapidly-growing sport but one with a good safety record: Saturday’s competitors, drawn from all over the country, all carried radios, wore dry suits and were equipped with buoyancy aids.

Organiser Russell Jones said he was delighted with the way the event had grown in the few years it had been running.

“It’s a way for kayak fishermen to show their appreciation of the RNLI - while hoping they never have to call on its services,” he said.

This year’s competition was won by local angler Adrian Mayne.

Mr Jones said kayak fishers could catch cod and reasonable whiting as well as various other resident fish and may encounter plenty of Ray as well as lots of dogfish.

The event was sponsored by Fatyak Kayaks and Reelfun Fishing.

For more information about the competition visit fatyak-kayaks.co.uk/the-blue-anchor-cod-classic-2018.