A HUMBLE Isle of Wight angler today awoke to find himself a television star after his record-breaking monster shark catch was revealed in the Daily Echo.

Danny Vokins became an unlikely celebrity thanks to his "catch of a lifetime" - a 500lb (226kg) thresher, caught just five miles off St Catherine's Point. It is one of the biggest sharks ever hooked in British waters.

And now the Daily Echo can reveal exclusive video footage of Danny's two-hour struggle with the shark.

The 14ft (4.26m) beast dwarfed the 12ft great white supposedly spotted off St Ives, in Cornwall, last week and is now being monitored by US scientists after being tagged by Danny.

As shark fever grips the UK this summer, news of the record-breaking catch has spread fast. Having returned home to Bembridge from his shark mission for the weekend, the keen photographer was back out at sea yesterday angling for another huge catch.

While the 58-year-old was on his 40ft boat, Midnight Rambler, his family was fielding requests for television appearances and interviews. They said that after 30 years of chasing sharks it was time the father of two "enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame".

The property developer is already lined up to appear on GMTV with his sons Darren, 38, and Daniel, 25.

Although the shark was the biggest thresher ever caught on line and rod, it will never be officially confirmed because it was tagged and put back into the sea.

Only sharks that are killed and then weighed on the shore go into the record books.

"I am not about killing sharks, there's not enough of them in the ocean, so I am not bothered about any record," Danny said.

The shark's movements are now being tracked by the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) in the US.

Mr Vokins has tagged and released hundreds of sharks over the past 30 years. His love of sharks has helped scientists gain a better understanding of the mysterious monsters of the deep.

The international shark-tagging programme provides a "non-destructive" assessment of growth rates, migrations, abundance, mortality, behaviour and stock fluctuations.

NMFS said tagging highlighted the threat that sharks face and provided a scientific means to introduce improved species management.