Monster crab may have pinched British record

Experts said the rare box crab, normally found at depths of nearly 10,000ft – was caught 80 miles west of The Scilly Islands at 360ft by skipper Matthew Keast, who was fishing for turbot.

The monster, nicknamed Spud because of its potato-like body, is believed to be only the eighth of his kind brought up in UK waters since 1900.

After being hauled into Mr Keast's boat, Spud was taken to a specially chilled tank at the Blue Reef Aquarium in Newquay, Cornwall.

Spud measures more than 3ft 3in long, bringing him level with the previous record-holder. He would have surpassed that, but for a missing claw.