Plymouth fisherman lands first 'lost' Lego shark off Cornwall

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/15979945

A fisherman from Devon has landed the first shark of its kind - one made of Lego lost at sea off a cargo ship 27 years ago.

Richard West, a 35-year-old fisherman living in Plymouth, found the plastic toy on the top of his fishing nets 20 miles (32km) south of Penzance on Tuesday.

He contacted the project Lego Lost at Sea, whose founder Tracey Williams confirmed the piece to be the first-ever reported shark from the 51,800 Lego sharks lost off the Tokio Express cargo ship on 13 February 1997.

A freak wave in a severe gale swept 62 shipping containers into the sea 20 miles (32km) off Land's End, one of which held 4,756,940 pieces of Lego, much of it sea-themed.

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Mr West said: "I was so excited. I was more happy about finding the shark that anything else I caught this week.

"It's priceless - it's treasure!"

Ms Williams said: "This Lego shark is one of 51,800 lost overboard from the Tokio Express and the only one we’ve ever seen.

"Richard and I now have joint custody of the shark."

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Recently Lego from the container lost overboard has been found not just in Cornwall but in the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Wales and Ireland, she added.

Previously: Boy, 13, finds 'holy grail' Lego octopus piece from sea spillage in 1997