The moment a heron swooped down and grabbed himself a £200 koi carp lunch

This happy heron can be seen enjoying a posh dinner as he guzzles down two pricey koi carp.

The huge bird - a grey heron - was seen feasting at Herbert Park pond in Dublin last week and amazed onlookers as he ate one and then returned to grab another.

Koi carp are not cheap to come by and usually cost at least £100 per fish, so the heron got himself a gourmet meal deal with his choice.

Now you see him: The grey heron prefers grab and go to eating in with this koi carp

In flight: The koi carp never had a chance

A park visitor said: 'He just swooped in and grabbed the first. It seemed like he knew what he was after.

'He seemed to enjoy the first one so much has came back for seconds with no bother at all.

'We all just watched him gulp them down in one go.'

Death becomes him: The heron didn't stop at one, but grabbed himself a second koi carp

Big mouth: Fish are part of a heron's diet, along with insects and the occasional small mammal

Koi carp are ornamental and domesticated varieties of the common carp, normally kept and bred in ponds.

The bigger varieties can cost over £400.

Grey herons normally feed in shallow water, eating frogs, insects and fish, as well as the occasional small mammal.

They breed close to water, and usually nest in reedbeds or other wetlands. - www.dailymail.co.uk

Library book borrowed in 1939 returned 70 years overdue...

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:21 PM on 11th August 2009


A library book borrowed before war broke out in 1939 has finally been returned - 70 years overdue.

Iris Chadwick took out the score of the musical Rose Marie from Cubitt Town Library on the Isle of Dogs, east London, when she was 13.

The drama of war breaking out meant she forgot to return the book and it has remained in her piano stool until now.

Iris Chadwick took 70 years to return the score of the musical Rose Marie to Cubitt Town Library, east London

Luckily council chiefs decided not to charge her overdue fees which, at 10p a day, would have amounted to more than £2,500.

The 83-year-old, who has been married for 63 years, left east London for Dorset and found the Poplar Borough Council book when having a clear-out.

As her book lay in the stool - undamaged by the imminent Blitz - man walked on the Moon, England won the football World cup and the age of the internet arrived.

Piano player Iris borrowed the music when she was 13

Piano-playing Mrs Chadwick said: 'I've hung on to the book for so long because it was part of my childhood.

'It brings back memories of the teacher who caught me playing the piano and instead of telling me off, told me to go to the library and borrow the music.

'I was going to take it to the charity shop but thought it still belongs to the library, so perhaps I should check.'

She submitted an online form to Tower Hamlets Council, which took over from Poplar council in 1965.

She wrote on the form: 'Would you like to have this, or should I just scrap it?'

Iris said: 'After 70 years I really could not afford to pay the fine but I could just about manage the postage.'

Councillor Rofique U Ahmed said: 'It just goes to show it's never too late to return a book.'

The council has an amnesty for overdue books which runs out on October 31. -www.dailymail.co.uk

Cubitt Town library: Tower Hamlets Council waived the overdue fine