THIS catch of the day is no small fry!

A huge halibut – tipping the scales at 286lb – was delievered to the Fence Gate Inn yesterday.

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And the whopper is bound to reel in customers to the Pendle restaurant and The Eagle at Barrow, near Clitheroe, both owned by Kevin Berkins.

Mr Berkins said he’d never seen a fish quite so big before and he now believes that any ‘fin’ is possible.

He said: “It’s a real monster from the deep.

“I’ve seen some pretty big fish before but nothing like this.

“It’s a great thing for us because it’s as fresh as fresh can be and will give us lots of wonderful halibut steaks.

“It’s rare that you get them so big so this weekend will be a real treat.

“We’ll be able to cut them into halibut steaks, which is rare in restaurants. You usually get a fillet but we’ve got enough fish to go round here. It will be sold in both restaurants over the weekend and we’re sure it will be very popular.

“Halibut is always popular on our menu so we’re sure that people will love this.”

The flat fish was hooked in the North Sea just south of Norway and was supplied to Mr Berkins by A and O Supplies in Burnley.

Halibuts usually weigh around 50 pounds but can grow to be much heavier.

Halibuts weighing as much as 500 pounds have been recorded.

Mr Berkins, who bought the Fence Gate restaurant 32 years ago, says that he expects to get more than 400 steaks from the jaw-dropping fish.