Goldfish survives fire

LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A 10-inch goldfish plucked from an ornamental pond by a heron surprised a British man when it appeared in his fireplace -- while a fire was blazing.

The careless bird dropped its dinner, probably while sitting on the chimney, but a pile of potato peelings just thrown on the fire seems to have saved the goldfish from a fiery end, the Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

The goldfish, now named Sooty, bounced off the peelings and landed on the hearth, where the surprised homeowner scooped him up and put him in a washbasin filled with water.

Sooty seemed none the worse for wear -- despite being bitten and falling into a fireplace -- and has been enjoying a second lease on life in a pet shop aquarium.

"I was watching television and actually eating fish and chips for dinner when there was a noise up the chimney," said Bill Brooks. "Suddenly this thing appeared out of nowhere and bounced off some potato peelings I'd thrown on to the fire, out of the flames and on to the hearth."