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Landing this 771lb giant stingray was a true David and Goliath struggle for 154lb Ian Welch.

But beaming with pride next to his catch, he clearly felt his 90-minute ordeal was worth it.

The 45-year-old had his runin on the Maeklong River in Thailand while helping to tag the endangered creatures.

At 7ft long and 7ft wide with a 10ft tail, it needed 13 men to lift it from the water. It also smashed the world record for a freshwater fish caught with a rod - a 646lb catfish in 2005.

Ian, from Aldershot, Hants, said: "It dragged me across the boat. I knew it was going to a big one. As soon as we saw it there was just silence. Everyone was in awe of this thing."

The pregnant stingray was freed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature team. Ian added: "As a lifelong angler and biologist it is great my passions have come together."


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