JUST when you thought it was safe to go back to your local fishmonger... Award winning, Vin Sullivan fish and game mongers in Frogmore Street, Abergavenny is offering its customers a dish with a little extra bite - shark.

And owner Richard Gafney, crowned Fish Craftsman of Great Britain five years on the trot, had plenty of customers keen to get their teeth into his new arrivals.

The 11 stone, seven foot porbeagle and three stone, four foot blue shark have seen some jaws dropping and gasps when visitors clamp eyes on them.

The sharks, which are being displayed in the shop for a couple of daysbefore going on sale, were caught off the South West Coast of England, in Cornwall.

"They were caught in nets when they swam up to the South West coast from Mediterranean and it is quite normal at this time of year when the waters get warmer for them to be found in Britain.

"And yes they are going down well with customers looking for something with an extra bite. We will display the sharks for a couple of days before converting and selling them as steaks," Mr Gafney said.

Asked what sort of a taste sensation awaited customers trying the shark, Mr Gafney said the toothy terrors tasted more like meat than fish.

"It is a good meat, not too fishy and they are ideal to cook as normal steaks or pan fried and ideal for barbecues."

Mr Gafney added that if the sharks, made eternally infamous by Steven Speilberg's classic thriller Jaws, proved a hit with shoppers he may well make them a regular feature on his menu.

"Yes, if the customers want it, then I will certainly be thinking of getting more in." But as both sharks are priced at £5.50 per lb, it's a little more expensive than your average fish supper.

*PICTURED: Shop assistants Sonia Jeffries and Ashley Williams make sure the shark is looking its best.