An engineer who was filmed swallowing a live goldfish after his friend won it at a funfair has been banned from keeping the animals for five years.

Alexander Mackey, 21, was caught on camera swallowing the fish in one gulp after he drank seven cans of lager on October 14 last year.

Mackey was seen to hold the wriggling goldfish before dropping it into his mouth while his friends laughed at the Goose Fair in Tavistock, Devon.

But after the video was posted to Facebook, a complaint was lodged with the RSPCA.

Mackey, an engineer from Plymouth, was arrested before pleading guilty on Friday to a charge under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 of not meeting the needs of and causing unnecessary suffering to a goldfish by swallowing it.

He was ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling £752 and banned from keeping fish for five years.

Lindi Meyer, representing the RSPCA, said: said another member of the group was initially going to swallow it but "bottled it" and someone shouted that he should instead.

She said: "He said he put it in his mouth and just swallowed it. When asked what it felt like he said he did not feel it as it went straight down.

"He said he was aware of the footage on Facebook and when asked if he thought that was acceptable he said no.

"He said it did not cross his mind at the time and he would not have done it if he was sober and he was sorry".