WATCH: Three friends find massive 7ft tuna in the River Severn

A massive 7ft-long tuna fish has been found dead in the River Severn by three friends.

Kevin Brady, Steve Burgess and Alec Foster were out paddle boarding when they discovered the huge fish - the size of a great white shark - in the estuary at Minsterworth, Gloucestershire.

The fish was so big the trio initially thought it might be a cow.

It had washed up on the side of the river, which is more commonly populated with salmon.

The men were paddle boarding when they saw the tuna (Pictures: SWNS)

Mr Brady, 33, who became first person to swim the full length of the Severn last year, said: “Steve spotted it on his jet ski and came to myself and Alec on our paddle boards.

“He was shouting ‘I’ve found a 7ft fish!’ We didn’t believe him, thinking it must be a cow or something.

“It wasn’t until we got right up next to it we realised it was a fish.”

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Dai Francis, of the Severn and Wye Smokery at Minsterworth, said: “This last week we have had some massive tides so it’s probably followed the salmon and everything else up the river.

The fish was 7-ft long (Picture: SWNS)

“You do not usually get tuna in British waters but as the water temperature increases, they are getting spotted more and more.”

He said the water temperature in the river as about 17C, unusually warm for this time of year, attracting fish from as far away as the west coast of France.