Mother Nature emphasised she is not to be taken for granted when she ushered in a strong ridge of high pressure that embraced Broadland and wrecked the prospect of a showcase angling weekend.

The highly-respected Preston Innovations All England Feeder Championship visited the tidal River Yare.

But those extra millibars sent the river crystal clear and for most contenders it was roach or nothing.

The sole exception was Scott Pringle (Berwick Sport) at peg 70. This was opposite a bay of water lilies beneath a drainage outfall and, casting his feeder rig 50 yards, the Cambridgeshire rod netted skimmer bream, boosting his total to a winning 21lb 12oz.

Next best was Will Freeman (Preston Innovations) with 13lb 12oz from peg 78, followed by Karl Redgrave (Suffolk AD) with 11lb 6oz from 126.

Commenting on his victory that won the sponsors' brand fishing rod and a prize of £180, the 57-year-old builder said: 'I decided to make the cast to the lily beds, where I knew bream would be taking cover.

'I baited a small hook with twin fluro maggots and tempted a number of skimmer bream, along with 5lb of small roach.'

Event organiser Andy Wilson-Sutter said: 'With the river like tap water, we knew it would be a roach weekend.

'However, Preston Innovations did us proud with a whole range of prizes and that compensated for the hard fishing.'

Saturday's third round of the Nisa Feeder League on the Yare also suffered a downturn.

Dave Reeve (Preston Innovations) headed the card with an all-roach net of 17lb 2oz, followed by Rod Finch (Deben) with 15lb 4oz and then Mark Haverson (Suffolk AD) with 13lb 9oz.

The 47-year-old Suffolk landscape gardener, who pocketed £210 for his triumph on a pole rig and twin red maggots, said: 'I had four decent roach, but the rest were all tiddlers and I was busy at peg 77 all match.'

Top contest on the lakes was the King Loch three-day festival at Bridge Farm.

Day one winner was Lewis Wood with 118lb, followed by two section seconds boosting his total to five penalty points and top aggregate of 397lb 8oz.