'Body' washed up on bank of the river Thames established to be big dead catfish

A report of a 'body' on the foreshore of the river Thames in south-west London on Monday turned out to be a large catfish.



Chiswick RNLI Lifeboat was called to the foreshore on the river at Barnes following a report from a concerned member of the public to Richmond Police.

On arrival at the scene the lifeboat crew found the object was actually a very large dead catfish. The fish was exceptionally large and in an advanced stage of decomposition. Volunteer crewman John Pooley, who has done some angling in his time, identified the fish.



RNLI helmsman Mark Finnis commented; “The report was clearly made in good faith as it was only possible to identify the object close to.” The Metropolitan Police river team and the Port of London Authority also attended. The carcass was later removed by the PLA.