A BUSINESSMAN whose passion for fish began when he bought his daughter a pet goldfish is making a splash by bringing sharks to East Lancashire.

Steve Punchard ended up buying the firm where he bought the goldfish 16 years ago.

Now the family-run centre in Great Harwood has become one of the top aquatic shops in the country, complete with its own shark pool.

Aquascope, in Waverledge Street, will be unveiling the 20ft long, 6ft-deep, 65 gallon tank and its 3ft inhabitant a black tip reef shark next month.

After buying the present for his daughter Sarah, now 18, Steve progressed to tropical fish.

He set up a business breeding and selling Discus fish a tropical fish from the Amazon river system in his brother David's shed.

He moved into a shop in Derby Street, Clitheroe, and after 10 years' hard work had built it up to the business had become the largest breeder and supplier of Discus fish in the country.

But Steve, 43, of Rosewood Avenue, Blackburn, had bigger ideas and in 2003 he bought Aquascope.

It has recently undergone a major refurbishment and, as well as retaining its status as one of the top aquatic shops in the country, he hopes it will become a major tourist attraction.

A special launch day is being held on Friday, April 14 and the talking point is expected to be the new shark tank, which has been designed and built by his dad, Harold, 71, a retired builder.

Steve, whose wife Gloria runs the centre's cafe, said: "The vision was for it to be more than just a shop. We wanted to create an attraction that people bring their kids to at the weekend, somewhere to compete with the Sealife Centre.

"The best thing about the business is that it has been built up with the help of my family my dad made the shark tank, my wife runs the cafe, my son, Kevin, is a director and has created our website, and my brother David, who's a joiner, has also been heavily involved."

Steve also praised his 16 members of staff who have all helped transform the centre.

During the launch event visitors will have the chance to enter a competition to name the female shark, who it is hoped will be joined by a male shark in the near future.

Aquascope's next project, to build a seahorse breeding house, is already underway and there are also plans to offer educational tours around the centre for schools and youth groups.