IT may seem a bit unusual and a tad fishy but this unique stuffed pike and trout caught in Wareham in 1912 is expected to reel in up to £6,000.

The bizarre fishy lot is set to scale new heights in the world of stuffed fish by being one of the most unusual items of its kind to go under the hammer at Bonhams.

The fish were caught on the same line during a fishing trip in Wareham by the then editor of Fishing Magazine, Mr R B Marston.

He was reeling in a one-and-a-half pound trout when the trout was attacked and taken tail first by a large pike.

Mr Marston landed both fish and had them stuffed with the trout protruding from the pike's mouth.

Both the fish are housed in a "fine Cooper bow front case" made by one of the most famous fish taxidermists in the world.

Charles Kewley, angling consultant for Bonhams, said: "It is extremely unusual and I would say it is unique to find a pike attached to a trout.

"The captor is so important as he is a legend in his own right. You are owning a piece of history, therefore putting a price on something like that is so difficult."

He said the fish had been passed through Marston's family over the years and is being sold by his granddaughter.

The Daily Echo's angling expert, Chris Clark, said: "Quite often when you are waiting for a fish a pike will come up and take it. When I have been on rivers or lakes I have lost many fish to pikes. They are vicious things."

He added that a pike's teeth sit in several rows and face downwards so once they have got something it will only go further into the mouth. "There is no escape."

Mr Clark added: "This is quite unusual. When I fish for roach a pike quite often comes up and grabs it, but it usually breaks the line so it is unusual to land the fish but not unheard of."

The stuffed pike and trout will go under the hammer with Bonhams auctioneers in Honiton on October 11.