'My 300 pet fish were poisoned in benefits hate campaign': Father-of-13 says vandals poured bleach into his carp pond in backlash against his new supersize council house

An unemployed father-of-13 has hit out after his 300 pet fish were poisoned as part of the apparent backlash at him receiving a six-bedroom council house.

Tim Fisk claims he been the subject of a 'hate campaign' since his huge family was given a specially-built taxpayer-funded home in Ipswich, Suffolk.

Mr Fisk has vowed to 'stand his ground' after he found his 300 koi carp apparently poisoned and floating dead in his garden pond.

Tim Fisk says the fish pond at his family's six-bedroom council house has been poisoned in a hate campaign after his local authority were forced to knock two homes together to accommodate his brood

The 44-year-old, who suspects bleach was poured into the water-feature, said: 'The children went to play around the back garden and they saw all the fish were dead.

'It's disgusting to take it out on the poor fish. It's bad when you are targeting people's

fish - it's just cruelty to animals.

'I'm very upset about it and the children are too. I love my fish. I have always had them, all my life.'

Angry neighbours and local residents launched a petition to stop council bosses spending thousands on knocking two houses together for the Fisk family last year.

The family have also appeared in Channel 5 show 'Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole', which has been screened over the last two months.

Mr Fisk, who gets £53,000-a-year in benefits, said: 'I have had threats saying they're going to petrol bomb us and murder my family. I'm quite disgusted with it, to be honest.

Angry locals launched a petition to stop Mr Fisk and his family receiving the massive taxpayer-funded home

'On the street we have had verbal abuse, people shouting out, we have had cars pull up shouting out and fingers stuck up.

'It seems to me everyone's doing it hoping we move, but I'm going to stand my ground. I have got a few more children - so what?'

The former security guard and fencing workman added: 'It's got nothing to do with anyone whether I can support my kids or not.

'If we need support that's why we have a social service system, surely?

'We are a large family. We don't bother no-one. We are entitled to live anywhere as well as anyone else is.

'I ain't going to be dictated to, nobody in their life is going to be dictated to and told how many kids you can have'

Tim Fisk in trailer for Benefits Britain: Life On The Dole

The family, some of whom are pictured on holiday in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, say they've been abused after appearing in Channel 5 show 'Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole'

Mr Fisk said last month he had been forced to set up surveillance cameras outside his home amid growing fears for his family's safety.

He has given personal cameras to his partner Mandy Ball, 41, and children so they can film anyone threatening them.

The controversial couple already live with their children, Sadie, 16, Daniel, 14, Lauren, 13, Callum, 11, Kyle, 10, Elektra-Mae, five, Serenity, four, Jayden, three, Starlight, two, 14-month-old Neatheus and their six-month-old baby girl Sotin Tia.

Their oldest daughter Charlie, 20, lives with her boyfriend and has two children of her own, while another daughter Ashley, 18, has left home.

Mr Fisk, who insists he brought in money before he stopped working, recently revealed that he and Ms Ball were considering having another baby.

A Suffolk Police spokeswoman said they were investigating an allegation of criminal damage.
She said: 'The rear garden has been entered and it is believed a substance has been put in the pond water.'

AN EXPENSIVE HOBBY - HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO KEEP KOI CARP?

According to members of the British Koi Keepers Society, koi carp can be bought for as little as £10 each in bulk, but for rarer varieties, owners can pay up to £20,000.
An avid koi keeper in Malaysia recently paid around £180,000 for one fish, thought to be record.
To build and fit a fibreglass pond with heaters and filters can require as much as £15,000 and the extra cost of water and electricity to keep the pond heated and clean can put around £800 to £1,000 on top of owners' bills.
Unheated pools cost less to maintain, but can still see water bills rise by about £400 a year due to the cost of changing 10 per cent of the water once a fortnight, as is recommended.
The fish also need to be fed, with 15 koi eating their way through around £100 of pellets a year. The water should also be treated with medication, which costs around £50 to £100 a year.

DM