Two anglers from Takeley have been crowned South Indian Ocean Billfish Competition (SIOBC) champions in Mauritius for a second time.

David Hawkeswood, 65, and Paul Maris, 69, with the team name Essex Boys, did the county proud and became the first to win the event twice.

Maris, said: “Winning a competition that big is a great feeling, very emotional, we are very proud and can’t wait to defend out title next year.”

Against 60 anglers in 20 teams taking part from around the world, the Takeley pair caught four Marlin up to 250lbs, a wahoo and a dorado to score 1,412 points.

In the compeition the fish are caught by the side of the boat then released.

The haul was enough to take the winners’ trophy, prizemoney of 300,000 Mauritian rupees (around £6,000), free entry to the competition next year and flights with Air Mauritius.

It is not a first taste of success for the duo.

They have fished in Mauritius every year since 2001 starting with the Marlin World Cup that was on Sky Sports.

Hawkeswood and Maris won that twice in 2005 and 2007.