TEENAGER Louie Smith collected prize money and equipment worth £6,000 as the 25th Kent Classic and British Allcomers Sea Angling Championships at Minster.

Organised by Sheerness Steel AC, the event attracted a 375-strong entry who fished for £40,000 in cash and prizes.

Smith, 17, from Deal, caught 15 fish to win from local angler Roger Weeks with 12 with Alan Jeffrey third with six.

Smith also won the A zone prize. Dave Revley, B Zone, Weeks C zone, Medway’s Steve Gillett the D zone and Jeffrey the E zone.Lee Jeffrey, in his first major competition, was top junior,with Craig Strudwick and Bobby Barnett second and third.

It was a good day for Deal. Top lady was Joyce Rogers and Louie and his father Brian were crowned pairs champions.

Steve Day was just 20 grams short of winning a new £27,000 Hyundai Santa Fe four-wheel drive when he weighed in the day’s heaviest flat fish.

The prize for the heaviest round fish went to Trevor Cousins while Smith scooped £1,125 from the super pool.

Sheerness club secretary Alan Jeffrey said: “Yet again, the event has proved a huge success and I would go as far as to say that it was the best yet.We have received nothing but good feedback from the anglers. This is the largest one-day event in the UK and Europe.”