Northlands Park regular Lee Emery had a battle on his hands when he hooked a cracking 26lb 8oz carp from the cafe lake.

Emery was fishing a swim below the cafe at the Basildon water when the big common accepted a fishmeal boilie cast tight to the reeds.

It immediately set off on a strong run, getting almost to the end of the lake before changing direction.

After several more powerful runs Emery had the fish under control and led it safely to the waiting landing net.

The superb common, known as half paddle, was the biggest of three carp that Emery landed during his session.

Vic Sanderson also found success with the Northlands Park carp, landing specimens of 18lb 2oz and 21lb.

Sanderson fished the road lake where he tempted both of his big commons with mainline boilies.

The smaller of the fish fell to a double boilie snowman rig fished in the centre of the lake, while the 21-pounder picked up a single hookbait in the near margins.

Quivertip angler Simon Watson also made contact with one of the big Northlands Park carp, but lost it at the net after a battle lasting almost an hour.

Nearby carp anglers estimated it to weigh comfortably over 20lb.

Despite the disturbance caused by the big carp, Watson carried on to finish his session with 11 bream and three tench for a 40lb plus haul.

Carp anglers have been landing some cracking fish at Gloucester Park, with Darren McLean including commons of 19 and 20lb in a 17-carp haul.

The big catch came from the big bay where McLean presented pineapple and tutti fruitti boilies tight to the island.

Paul Jones also found one of the bigger Gloucester Park carp, landing a common of 19lb 8oz on his first cast of the day.

Jones fished the bearpit swim where the big fish picked up his trout pellet bait cast just a rod length out.

Pole angler Terry Brown took 38lb 4oz of quality Gloucester Park roach when he fished the centre of the cockle bank at the Basildon venue.

He also added four bream and a tench for a 50lb-plus haul.

The fish all fell to caster baits presented at nine metres.

Construction worker Phil Stevens took a 22lb 8oz mirror carp when he fished the boathouse hedge swim at Billericay's Lake Meadows.

The big fish picked up a homemade strawberry boilie presented a few yards out.

It came a day after Stevens had lost a big fish from the same swim.