A seemingly unassuming, world-famous stuffed carp has found its way back to Herefordshire, the same county in which it was caught some 72 years ago.

Mike Bozward of Docklow Pools in Leominster has become the proud owner of Clarrisa, a record-breaking 44lb carp caught in 1952, after it was listed for auction with an estimated price of around £35,000 to £40,000.

Mounted in a glazed bow-fronted case with gilt writing, a border and set in a naturalistic reed and gravel setting, Clarrisa was previously housed in a Coventry fishing tackle shop before its owners took the plunge and sent it to Mullock Jones Auctioneers for an auction on July 24 and 25.

Clarrisa was recently returned home to Herefordshire following her recent sale.Clarrisa has recently returned to her home of Herefordshire following her recent sale. (Image: SWNS)

Ben Jones of the Shropshire auctioneers named it “a unique opportunity to obtain arguably the most important preserved specimen carp”. Sadly, Mr Bozward informed us of an agreement preventing him from disclosing the price he paid to own the history-making fish.

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Clarrisa the carp was caught by renowned angler and author Richard Walker on September 12, 1952, and paved the way for the modern age of angling.

Mr Walker caught the fish on a one-inch, two-piece split cane rod he made in his garden shed, and used no float, knots or lead – the angler’s only bait took the form of a homemade bread crust paste. Upon catching the great fish, Mr Walker “rang the London Zoo and said, 'Do you want a forty-pound carp?' They said, 'We've got a fourteen-pound carp.'

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"And then I said, 'Not a fourteen-pound carp - a forty-pound carp!’”, and so the fish was promptly sent to live at ZSL London Zoo Aquarium until 1972.

Beating the previous record by nearly 13lbs, Clarrisa’s reign stood for 28 years until a fish weighing 51½ lbs was caught at the same pond - Bernithan Pool, near Ross-on-Wye – in 1980.

Fish fanatic Mike Bozward “has known about Clarrisa all my life” and remembers the carp’s capture “really well”.  For him, she has remained “the Holy Grail of carp fishing” and can now be celebrated for years to come at Mr Bozward’s own carp pools in Docklow.