71 year old Julio Ampudia from Collera (near Ribadesella) in Asturias was paid €6,000 euros and awarded a trophy yesterday for catching the first salmon of the season - 'el campanu' - from the river Sella.

The 80cm-long male specimen, that weighed in at 5.5kg, was sold to the 'El Neru' Asturian cider restaurant in Madrid's Plaza Mayor, whose owner paid substantially less than the €14,500 euros paid for the first 'campanu' (4.9kg) of the season, which was caught from the river Narcea by Isaias Rebordinos on March 16th and acquired by the owner of the 'La Chalana' restaurant, which is also in the capital.

Mr Ampudia netted his prize-winning specimen at 1.45pm at an approved angling site in Cangas de Onís.