SOUTH Benfleet angler Dan Taylor made a determined effort to empty the lake when he fished a 30-hour session at the Gloucester Park cockle bank.

By the time he packed up he had landed a total of 98 carp from the Basildon water.

Fishing his own homemade boilies at the eastern end of the cockle bank, Taylor landed decent carp throughout his session.

With both of his baits presented tight to the island, Taylor regularly found himself struggling with fish on both rods.

With numerous double-figure specimens to a best of 16lb, Taylor's catch was estimated to weigh somewhere between a quarter and a half a ton!

Fellow carp angler Chris Biggs fished the next swim to Taylor to include two new personal bests in his own multiple carp catch.

After landing several smaller fish, Biggs netted a 14lb common, a personal best specimen that in itself would have been enough to make his trip.

But less than half an hour later a much bigger fish picked up his boilie bait presented just 10 feet from the near margins.

After a spirited battle he was able to draw a superb 20lb 4oz common carp over the net.

Nick Thorpe landed three personal bests when he fished the Gloucester Park cockle bank.

Fishing a quivertip and maggot baits he landed a new personal best 4lb 6oz chub on his first cast and followed it soon after with a barbel of 4lb, the first one he had ever caught.

After landing a procession of bream and tench, Thorpe hooked a much bigger fish which proved to be a new personal best carp weighing 18lb 8oz.