Angler's dying wish granted as his ashes are turned into 30lbs of fishbait

A keen angler had his dying wish realised, when his ashes were turned into fish food.

When Peter Hodge learned he had terminal motor neurone disease, he requested his remains be mixed in with the special groundbait he used to catch fish in his local river.

The 61-year-old, from Puriton, near Bridgewater in Somerset said he wanted to swim with his favourite fish in the spot where he spent 40 happy years angling.



After his death last month he was cremated in a wicker fishing basket coffin, and his ashes were mingled with 30lb of fish food.

Mr Hodge's widow Caroline and daughter Sally were the first to catapult balls of the bait into the River Huntspill to signal the start of an angling competition among Mr Hodge's friends.

Mrs Hodge, 56, said: "Pete always said that when he died he wanted his ashes to be mixed in with groundbait. He wanted the fish to gobble him up so he could swim up and down the river after his death. Everything that he wished for was done right down to the last. It was only right for us to carry out his final wishes."