Smith's top catch nearly flips back into the water

Ian Knott – known as 'bumble' – with a Mount Farm 35-8 known as 'the pretty one'

MAVER MK's Ian Smith scooped the pools – literally – winning £1,000 in Wednesday's UK Champs Barston Lake leg.

But that was ONLY after it had all so nearly flipped away from him...along with a 25lb carp as it flipped out of the net between his knees and back to freedom.

Stung by the escape bid, he lunged with his net and managed to scoop the fish – his hook still in its mouth – up again!

Carrie bagged this pike from the Stony Ouse

That helped him win on the day with 120lb...just 15lb clear of the runner-up in a match which was one of a series.

He'd drawn what's said to be the second-best peg on the lake, and sat biteless for three hours (watching the man on the best-one bagging) until switching to the method feeder approach he'd won the same match with from the same peg last year. And it worked – again!

The overall series winner had four grand while Maver (Matchgroup) man Ben Bell got £2,500 as series runner-up.

OLNEY's Garner Gas sponsored two-rod Ouse match saw winner Barry Testro take £120 plus pools money for his 13-11 as Andy Crouch had 9-4 (£90 plus pools) and Andy Garner (8-9) £75 plus pools.

Fourth and fifth also got paid, as well as the captor of the biggest fish and Pete Lima for the best specimen, a 3-6 eel – a remarkable fish for the Upper Ouse these days.

THE Northants County Cup – canal, Stoke Bruerne to Yardley with 12 teams of eight – saw Towcester fifth and Maver MK joint ninth.

A 'few nights' on Mount Farm saw Ian Knott bank five carp to 35-8. Paul Maddock had a 21-2 from Lodge, Stefan Clark a nice fish from Tear Drops and Neil Charwood eight in three hours from Wolverton Mill. Tony Snelson had a 20-8 from Newport's pits.

THE Ouse around Stony is currently alive with predators, and Carrie outfished companion Jason Augustus there to land a double on a pink lure. Young Tyler Bowen had several nice perch including a 2-2 PB.

CALVERT, Hill Cottage: Mark Penwell 40-12, Austin Maddock 8-7, Barry Witteridge 7-2.

KINGFISHER, Lodge: Keith Harrison 13-3, Steve Carr 9-14, Steve Chilton 9-13

MK Vets, Tear Drops: Alan Ford 12-5, Marti Cunniffe 11-13, Kevin Osborne 11lb.

TOWCESTER Vets, canal, Banbury Lane: Les Goodridge 3-12, Tosh Saunders 3lb, John Broughton 2-7.