Windsor-based roofer Wayne Mansford made headlines this week when he caught the world’s biggest carp – weighing in at a massive 75lb 2oz.Mansford’s huge reel was 7lb over the existing British record, which had stood since 2016 when Dean Fletcher caught a 68lb carp in Berkshire.But the 38-year-old, who battled with the carp for 10 minutes and returned it to the water following the catch, says he won’t claim the world record.That is because the angler, who has represented England nationally and has also featured in Carpology magazine, says he fears receiving death threats over the catch.The carp is an imported specimen, and was placed in the water several years ago, meaning some believe it is not a British fish.Many argue that fish should only count towards any records if they are not imported and have grown to a natural weight over many years.Mansford caught the carp at Holme Fen Fishery in Cambridgeshire on Monday, which is the same area that a 70lb carp was captured back in 2016. The angler in question also received death threats over a similar issue.

On the comments he has received, Mansford explained: “I have already received a lot of negative feedback from some people.

“At the end of the day a carp is carp to me. I’m in a great place knowing what I have achieved but I know previously people have gone as far as receiving death threats.

“It could be a British record but I just don’t know whether I want to go through all the controversy.

“People get very angry about imported fish and I think a lot of it is probably just jealousy.

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“All carps are imported at some point, but I’ll have some discussions with people and see what we decide.”

Leaving the debate to one side, you’ve got to give Mr Mansford huge credit for successfully catching a carp of such a size.