For many years now, the Royal Forest of Dean angling club has held fishing 'taster days' aimed at offering youngsters the chance to have a go at fishing, for free.

The places on the sessions, which were spread over four days, were eagerly booked by a wide age-range of children from six to 16, all looking to try their hand at fishing, some for the very first time.

The event was organised and run by fully qualified, CRB-checked coaches, from Angling4acatch angling tuition, lead by the ever-enthusiastic Nick Oakley.

It was held at the Royal Forest of Dean angling club's prolific Plump Hill pool.

It proved to be the ideal choice for beginners as all of the one hundred participating youngsters caught fish, with one participant catching 84 fish in the session.

The biggest fish caught over the four days was a super carp of exactly five pounds.

Youngsters came from all over the Forest, Monmouth and Ross, and as far away as Hereford and Tewkesbury. With so many new faces turning up this year, the club decided to have a recruitment drive with more than 20 of the trainees deciding to become full members.

Nick Oakley from Angling4acatch said: "It's always good to see so many new recruits coming along with their mums and dads, and it was very gratifying that their enjoyment convinced them to take out club membership."

Club secretary Eileen Summers said: "We are delighted with the support for our membership initiative."

The course coincided with National Fishing Month and all the youngsters had a certificate and goodie bags to take home with them boosted by items courtesy of Shimano UK and Wye Angling.

There was another surprise benefit of attending the course for most of the young people with a kingfisher eagerly demonstrating its skills in the reeds opposite, taking tiny fish after fish during the course of the first three days.