SATURDAY PITSTOP WITH ESSEX FORD BILLERICAY – 30.8.8

Marine beast of Brentwood

When Brentwood Aquatics placed a routine order for a 24-inch catshark and unpacked a blacktip reef shark (pictured) growing to six foot in length, manager Jamie Henderson knew he had received an abnormal load.

Supplying catsharks worth £30-35 to enthusiasts is normal business for the Kelvedon Hatch shop on Ongar Road.  But already the container which brought the reef shark to be known as Sally from Indonesia to Brentwood said a mistake had been made, said Jamie.

Appearing on the Saturday Pitstop with Essex Ford Billericay, Jamie explained that Sally required constant water movement around her in when transit, so the packing was different than that needed for a catshark.

At first the store hoped to keep Sally, who cannot be sold in this country, as a community pet.  But the 15-foot, 2,000 gallon tank required was beyond its budget.  After a month of deliberation, with Sally growing at the rate of an inch a week, a move to Hunstanton Sealife Centre, in Norfolk, was planned.

The rehoming operation was filmed by the BBC for its Animals 24:7 series to be broadcast early next year.  Jamie was sad to see her go but delighted that Sally would live for an expected 15 years among five other blacktips in the centre's 40,000-gallon ocean tank complete with coral reef.

From Essex Ford Billericay

In the closing days of August, before the arrival of September's new '58' registration plate, Essex Ford Billericay is worth a call or visit for the best vehicle sale or service deal on offer:

• Save £1.255 on a new 1.25 Ford Fiesta Zetec Blue 3-dr infl. Free Bluetooth, rain sensing wipers and automatic headlights
• All makes of used cars with warranty from £2,999
  

·         Have any car serviced for £99.  For a Ford aged 3+ years, this value service is under £75 as it includes £75 of Debenhams/Sainsbury/iTunes vouchers

For vehicle sales contact James at Essex Ford Billericay on 01277 652242.  To book your car in for a service, phone Carol – and for all offers, say your are a Phoenix FM listener.