Fisherman almost dies after swallowing fish he kissed after catching

A fisherman has suffered a cardiac arrest after accidentally swallowing a fish he caught when attempting to kiss it at a beach in England.

Kissing a fish is common practice among fishermen as a celebration of the catch but this one didn't go to plan.

The 28-year-old, who has not been named, was kissing the Dover sole when 14cm fish wriggled out of his hand and jumped into his mouth, The BBC reports.

He stopped breathing, turned blue and suffered a cardiac arrest at the scene on Boscombe Pier, Bournemouth.

Paramedics arrived to the scene in just two minutes, The Telegraph UK reports.

Fortunately for the man, paramedics were able to remove the fish with forceps in an ambulance.

"It was clear that we needed to get the fish out or this patient was not going to survive the short journey to hospital," Ambulance worker Matt Harrison said.

"I was acutely aware that I only had one attempt at getting this right."

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Mr Harrison said if he lost the fish or lost grip then he knew there was nothing more they would be able to do.

It was the fish's barbs and gills that became stuck, wedging it in the 28-year-old's throat.

Member of Boscombe Pier Sea Anglers Ian Cowie said: "He was kissing the fish when it jumped down his throat. It's a tradition to kiss your first catch."

Mr Harrison added the outcome could have been a lot worse.

"It could so easily have had such a tragic and devastating outcome," he said.

"I have never attended a more bizarre incident and don't think I ever will."