TOP Forest junior angler Sam Hughes, 16, has netted one of fishing's biggest junior prizes under the gaze of TV cameras.

Sam, from Berry Hill, scooped the Fish O'Mania junior final on Sunday and came home from the Stoke on Trent venue with a £2,000 cheque.

In torrential rain and with Sky Sports cameras trained on his every move, Sam fished the match of his life to calmly accumulate fish after fish, leaving his rivals in his wake.

Not even a quiet spell after an hour, when his nearest challenger landed a big carp, disturbed his composure.

Former senior world champion Tom Pickering commented that he was amazed at just how cool Sam was under pressure, in particular as he played his biggest fish – a carp of more than 7lb.

At the weigh-in Sam put a bag of carp and barbel on the scales totalling almost 24kg (more than 52lb), to finish well clear of the field.

Despite the cold, Sam obliged the cameras with a fully clothed leap into the lake!

Sam left Lakers School just over a month ago and is now working in the construction business for Lydney firm NJ&J Jenkins.

He said he would like to thank everyone who has supported him, especially his mum, dad and sister Emma.

Asked what he had planned for next weekend, he said: "I think I'd just like to chill out with my mates."