Goldfish swept away when Devon village flooded 'miraculously' reunited with their owner

This goldfish has been reunited with its owner after being swept away by floodwater. Credit: Helen Partridge

A pair of goldfish who were swept away from their home during the recent flash flooding in Devon have been reunited with their owner.

The village of Newton Poppleford was engulfed when the River Otter burst its banks, swamping homes, gardens and businesses.

But one good news story has come from the event - Ramon Neale has found his fish after fearing they were lost forever.

Local woman Helen Partridge was helping clear the playing fields in the village when she discovered the duo in a "muddy puddle".

Helen Partridge found the goldfish in a muddy puddle on the playing fields. Credit: Helen Partridge

She said: "We were clearing debris on the field from the flooding and just moved some wood out of the way and in this muddy puddle I saw a flash of orange and lo and behold it was a goldfish.

"That entire area was submerged and then all that was left was this muddy puddle so it was miraculous they survived really.

"We were just really keen to get them back into a pond as soon as possible."

By word of mouth, the pair were reunited with their owner, Ramon Neale.

"Their description sort of matched that of my fish and then eventually I came round to the owner here and we have the fish in the pond here.

"It's obvious quite amazing for them to survive in a little muddy puddle and I'm quite surprised really that the heron or the egrets haven't eaten them," he said.

Tomorrow (17 May) the goldfish will be returned to their rightful owner.