Alan Titchmarsh, like many a gardening enthusiast, enjoys the presence of wildlife in his Hampshire plot. But he acknowledges that it comes with both pros and cons. Alan, who will be appearing on ITV's Love Your Weekend this Sunday, had modest expectations for the types of creatures his wildlife pond would attract after digging it about 15 years ago.

The TV presenter initially hoped to see "Newts and dragonflies, damselflies and perhaps the odd kingfisher," he revealed to BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. For a time, Alan did witness a bustling ecosystem of mini-beasts above the water, until an unexpected guest made an appearance.

"But then, from somewhere," Alan recounted, "probably on the webbed feet of a visiting duck, roach arrived."

Roach are resilient freshwater fish that can grow up to 14 inches and survive in challenging environments. They are often one of the last species to vanish in polluted waters due to their hardiness.

However, their robust nature comes with a voracious appetite: "Thinking it was just another form of wildlife to gleefully add to my list, I bought some fish food," Alan admitted.