RSPCA urges people to stop eating live goldfish

People in the UK have been told they will be prosecuted if they go through with eating live goldfish as part of the Neknomination game.

The trend involves social media users urging each other to perform more daring stunts – and in a number of cases this has involved consuming pets straight from the aquarium.

Indeed, the RSPCA has received a number of calls about footage appearing to show people eating goldfish and there could be many more cases.

Nicola White, a wildlife scientist at the RSPCA, said: "Eating a live animal and posting a film of it on the internet is not some light-hearted joke – it is unacceptable. It sends out a clear message that animal cruelty is okay."

Anyone who is found to eat a live fish can be prosecuted under the Animal Welfare Act and the RSPCA has warned it will investigate any claims.