A RECORD-BREAKING fish caught nine years ago near Tavistock has regained its record and returned to its rightful home.

Bertha, a cultivated rainbow trout, was caught by a Newquay man at Tavistock Trout Fishery in 1994 and was declared the biggest of her kind to have been caught in Britain, weighing in at 30lb 12oz.

Only a year later she was to have her title torn away ? like a hook from the mouth ? when a fish more than 6lb heavier was claimed to have been caught by Clive White############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################### at a fishery in Hampshire.

Now, eight years on, saying he could no longre live with the lie, in a letter to the Angling Times, Mr White has confessed all. In his letter he said he did not catch the trout, he merely spotted it next to the lake and claimed to passers-by that he had netted the monster.

Last week Tavistock Trout Fishery brought Bertha home and staff are celebrating the fact they are now gaining full recognition for having bred a record-breaking fish.

Bertha was traced to Truro after Tony Flowers, from Newquay, who caught her, took her there to be stuffed.

Since 1997 Bertha has been waiting at the taxidermists to find a new home and Tavistock Trout Fishery?s Abigail Underhill bought her last week for £575.

She said: ?We are so pleased to have Bertha back with us and to be gaining recognition for having the record for nine years, which is a long time to hold it.

?Mr White took away our record and has reaped the benefits we have missed out on ? we have lost a lot of advertising revenue so that?s very sad.?

But big fish Bertha, aptly named in 1992 before the fishery realised she was quite so huge, may not be a record breaker for much longer. Just a few weeks ago a 33lb rainbow trout was caught near Chudleigh in front of witnesses and weighed on accredited scales.

Abigail said: ?The fish caught at Chudleigh hasn?t been verified at this stage, but we are happy that at the moment Bertha is a definite, 100% record holder.

?It is a bit sad that we might lose the record again so soon, but we aren?t too worried about that, we could regain it with another fish,? she said.

?Just the other day a fish weighing 31lb 11oz was caught here ? bigger than Bertha ? we have other big fish and can do it again.?