Allan Sefton lives in Hemingford Abbots, a pretty Cambridgeshire village, which sits beside the Great Ouse. Grafham Water, one of the best trout lakes in Europe, is five miles away.

Allan was educated at the University of North Wales, Bangor in the 1960’s. He became a biologist and was awarded a Ph.D. for research in freshwater ecology.

His education in N. Wales was a productive period in his parallel angling career. He caught his first salmon from the River Ogwen, enjoyed great trout fishing (of both the brown and sea varieties) and landed some big bass from the Menai Straits and the beaches of Anglesey.

Later a Senior Civil Service career, mostly with the Health and Safety Executive, took him around the UK, including long spells in Scotland. He was, in turn, head of the Offshore Safety Division, the Director for Scotland (a post created in the wake of devolution) and finally HM Chief Inspector of Railways.

Despite the demands of work, but sometimes with the help of the international travel required, Allan has caught salmon to over 20lbs in Scotland, trout to 8lbs in the Midlands reservoirs, big pike, barbel and other coarse fish from the Great Ouse valley and even the ‘Grand Slam’ of a bonefish, a permit and a tarpon in one day from the coral flats of Los Roques in Venezuela.

In 2006 he retired from the board of HSE. To keep himself busy he then worked as a company director, part owner of a fishing rod maker and author.  He also satisfied a life-long ambition of becoming a professional angling coach. He obtained a Level 2 Qualification in Coaching Angling. This is the top qualification currently available from the Sports Council for coaching angling, www.anglingtrust.net. He became the resident coach at Elinor Trout Fishery, www.elinortf.co.uk near Kettering.

In 2022 he retired as a professional but still provides free coaching to friends and to members of his fishing club, the Cambridge-based Invicta Fly Fishing Club, www.invictaffc.org.uk

Allan Sefton contributes to fishing periodicals such as ‘Trout and Salmon’, www.greatmagazines.co.uk/troutandsalmon.

In March 2013, his book “Getting Started at Fly Fishing for Trout” was published. It has been followed by “Fly Fishing for Salmon” in 2015 and “Get Fishing” in 2019.

Commenting on his background and current role he said, “It is a huge privilege to have found a second career doing what I have always loved. Recently, I helped a young woman to catch her first salmon and a boy land his first big trout. I have never had so much fun!