Fish washed up at Old Rishworthians Rugby Club during Storm Ciara is returned to River Calder

The pike was discovered by Kevin Mitchell, who helped catch it and then return it to the nearby River Calder.

Mr Mitchell, who lives in Pye Nest, and works for building firm Ryburn Construction, said: “It’s the second time it’s happened in the last five years, and there were fish washed up there last time as well.

“I thought it was dead at first. It must have been there a few days because it flooded on the Saturday and we found it on the Wednesday or the Thursday.

“We were working on the damage at the club, the water was really high. We were putting a fence up around the pitch.

“Someone went to get a net which is used to get balls which go into the river, but it was broken, so we rang our mate up who has a fishing net, and he came and helped us haul it out.

“The pitch is ruined, it’s a mess.”