Free Republic

Nessie has finally been found in the mysteriously dark waters of Loch Ness – but all is not what it seems. A robotic submarine searching the lake for signs of the phantom Scottish beast has come across a long-lost model of the monster - but has not found any signs of the mythical monster's fabled lair. The 30ft-long (9 metre) model sank during the filming of from the 1970 film, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, and has been lost for 50 years before sonar images revealed its resting place.

AN EXPERT delving deep into the history of Nessie spotters is to reveal his findings on the 80th anniversary of the first modern-day sighting. Dr Charles Paxton, a statistical ecologist from St Andrews University, is working on the first catalogue of all known sightings of the Loch Ness monster in modern times. The researcher will present his findings at a conference this weekend, organised as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival. The special event organised by the St Andrews academic marks the 80thanniversary of the first official sighting of Nessie.