Pet goldfish washed out of garden pond during storm discovered alive and well 24-hours later

A pet goldfish has been dubbed Britain’s luckiest after it was washed out of a garden pond during a storm and found alive and healthy in a muddy puddle 24 hours later.

The fish has miraculously been reunited with its owner after being swept away by floods that hit the West Country last week.

He was swept from his pond by the storms that hit the village of Newton Poppleford, Devon, but survived when he landed in a large puddle near a playground.

He was found – swimming happily in circles – by a group of volunteers cleaning up the village after storms.

Helen Partridge was helping clean up debris on playgrounds when she spotted the five-inch-long stranded goldfish and caught it before hungry herons flying overhead saw it.

A pet goldfish has been dubbed Britain’s luckiest after it was washed out of a garden pond during a storm and found alive and healthy in a muddy puddle 24 hours later

A huge clean-up operation has been underway after heavy rain caused flooding which caused ‘devastating’ damage to homes and businesses in the village of Newton Poppleford.

“Community members have come together to help all those affected [by the floods]said Helen.

“A group of us were clearing debris from the tennis courts and playground when we spotted the huge goldfish living in a puddle of mud.”

The owner was quickly tracked down on Facebook – it turns out they had already lost another of their goldfish in the floods, which was also found alive.

Helen explained: “The owner was eventually located through the power of social media and the fish was returned to his pond, along with another that was found not too far away earlier.”

The two escaped fish have now returned to swim in their pond.