A group of fishermen from Chorley encountered a monster from the deep during a trip to Scotland last week — in the form of a giant 80-year-old skate weighing almost 13 stone.

The eight-strong party was fishing in the Sound of Mull, close to Oban, on a weekend trip, when two of them, the appropriately named Anthony Fisher, 31, and Martin Baxter, 28, both seemingly hooked large fish at the same time.

Paul Jackson, 34, of Queens Grove, who organised the trip on board the small fishing boat, the Miss Claudia, said: “At first we thought Anthony and Martin both had different fish but after a few minutes we realised that their lines were entangled and that they had a single large fish on the hook.

Mr Jackson said that none of the party ‘floundered’ when they discovered the extent of their catch.

“We were fishing on the bottom at a depth of around 500ft so it took about 40 minutes to reel in, everyone on board was involved and we all had to help haul it on board.”

The female common skate was then weighed at an incredible 180 pounds, not far short of the British record of 225 pounds.

Paul added: “We were all buzzing after we got her on board, it was what we went on the trip for.

“She was a magnificent sight with hundreds of teeth and a huge diagonal, span.”

He said the skipper, local boat owner, Donald McClean, told them that a skate of that size would be around 80 years old.

After photographs were taken, the elderly creature was released back into the sea unharmed.

As for the debate on which of the two fisherman should be credited with the catch, both were magnanimous.

“Because we had to cut the lines there was no way of telling which one of us hooked her so we are taking joint credit,” said Anthony.