Thaindian News

London, Jan 6 (ANI): Rumours that the Loch Ness monster is dead have been dismissed by the head of the animal’s fan club.

A recent documentary explored the possibility that the monster might be extinct as its reported appearances become increasingly rare.

Official Loch Ness Monster Fan Club president Gary Campbell said only one sighting he considers credible was near the Clansman Hotel in June,2009.

“That’s why we were so relieved to have heard about this sighting,” the Telegraph quoted him as saying.

“In June, when it was reported, nobody had seen anything for a year. If it hadn’t been for that one, we would have been really, really worried.

“There is an embarrassment factor to seeing Nessie. The first thing people say to you is, ‘Had you had a drink?’

“Ten years ago we had a lot of good sightings, but in the last two or three years, they have tailed off.”

There were, however, a number of ‘more dubious’ sightings during 2009.

These included a sonar contact witnessed by ‘Allo, ‘Allo star Vicki Michelle while she was on a pleasure cruise on the loch in May, during a week-long run of the stage version of the BBC1 sitcom at Eden Court in Inverness.

And data analyst Ian Monckton, of the West Midlands, took a picture of what he thought could be the elusive monster while driving to Invermoriston late at night.

A 2009 episode of TV documentary series Monster Quest, titled Death At Loch Ness, examined the theory that Nessie’s carcass is lying at the bottom of the loch.But Gary said: “If people start to believe this, it might start to affect tourist numbers.

“Whether you believe in Nessie or not, the Loch Ness Monster is one of the most important tourist attractions we have.

“Perhaps, though, the answers are to be found underwater instead of on the loch’s surface.”

“Unknown sonar contacts happen all the time. Maybe Nessie is just keeping her head down,” he added. (ANI)