Metric U-turn saves piking tradition

Had any 9.09 kilo's lately - or even enough 13.64kg fish to get on Neville's List..?

The face of pike fishing could change forever without the magic of doubles, twenties and thirties.

We'd still be catching the same fish if we all went metric. But would a 4.545 have the same romance as a double and would whispered rumours of a 13.64 really set the grapevine buzzing in quite the same way..?

While much of life is now weighed up in grammes and kilogrammes, fishing in the UK has stuck resolutely to pounds and ounces when it comes to what we catch.

Eurocrats threatened to change all this in 2010, when Imperial measurements would become phased out altogether.

Now EU commissioners have announced a change of heart, which means pounds, ounces - and the pint you celebrate your new PB with - look set to stay.

Nice one Brussels. And make mine a 0.568l of your finest.