KEIGHLEY Angling Club have added new fish stocks to Roberts Pond, Utley, to tempt still-water specialists while strict river rules remain in force until mid-June.

A batch of specimen carp, each up to 10 inches in length, readily adapted to their new home after being transported from Kent. The fish were carefully introduced into the water by club officials.

Club chairman Bob Granger said: "One of our committee members has done a huge amount of work to improve angling conditions at Roberts Pond.

"Measures have been taken to enrich the quality of the water for fishing, and also deter predators, including cormorants and goosanders, from plundering the resident fish.

"We invested in the carp because we know that many coarse anglers like to use certain baits, including maggot, which are prohibited on all rivers in England and Wales at this time of year.

"The rules exist to enable river fish to breed successfully and without interruption during springtime, but canal and still-water angling is unaffected by the ban and that is why we want to welcome more members to use our pond and the long stretches of canal that belong to our club."

The annual close season prohibits anyone from targeting coarse fish on any river until June 15.

Bailiffs regularly patrol stretches of the River Aire to ensure all anglers possess a fishing permit and are observing the national embargo. Fly fishing is not affected by the rule.