A blustery southwest wind and heavy rain greeted the 244 competitors in the Poingdestre's Open Beach Festival between the Rolling Mills jetty and Hamble.

Only 33 anglers caught a smattering of mullet, bass and flounders but Ant Buik certainly was not complaining after hitting the jackpot.

With just 30 minutes remaining, Buik, a 41-year-old carpenter, was struggling with just one small flounder in his bucket when his rod suddenly lunged forward as a 4lb 8.25oz bass made a dash for freedom.

The hefty predator, which snapped up a chunk of peeler crab presented on a size 2 hook, netted Buik the £1,000 top prize along with another £160 in pools for the heaviest fish and £47.50 in section pools, his total weight was 5lb 0.25oz.

Jerry Phillips (Woolston), a previous winner of the event, collected the £500 runners-up award after landing a 2lb 7oz mullet from the Hamble section.

Shirley's Richard Cowdrey (£250) was third with a trio of flounders weighing 2lb 1oz.

Other leading contenders included Andrew Giffiths 2lb, Wayne Perrett 1lb 15.50oz, John Webb 1lb 12oz, S Ayres 1lb 9.5oz, Chris Vince 1lb 8oz, Greg Nolan 1lb 7.5oz and Theo Cull 1lb 6oz.

No ladies returned fish to the scales.

Twelve-year-old Meghan Longman from Sholing, a member of the Hop Inn SAC, collected £75 for the top junior.