No Loch Ness Monster sightings for first time since 1925 Published duration 7 February 2014

image copyright AP image caption A lack of reported sightings has been described as "upsetting"

For the first time in almost 90 years no "confirmed sightings" have been made of the Loch Ness Monster, a veteran Nessie spotter has said.

Gary Campbell, who keeps a register of sightings, said no-one had come forward in 18 months to say they had seen the monster.

Bookmaker William Hill also said the three entries to its annual Nessie spotting contest could be explained.

They were images of a wave, a duck and a picture not even taken on Loch Ness.

Mr Campbell said it was the first time since 1925 that there had been no confirmed reports of the monster.

He said: "It's very upsetting news and we don't know where she's gone.

"The number of sightings has been reducing since the turn of the century but this is the first time in almost 90 years that Nessie wasn't seen at all."

'Time out'

Mr Campbell, a chartered accountant based in Inverness, has been logging Nessie sightings for 17 years after seeing something in the loch himself.

As Nessie's registrar of sightings, he has put together a list of sightings going back 1,500 years.

Irish missionary St Columba is said to have encountered a beast in the River Ness in 565AD.

image caption The Yeti was placed behind Nessie on a travel magazine's list of world mysteries

Mr Campbell said: "So far 1,036 reported sightings have been recorded and there were some in 2012.

"I'm convinced that Nessie has just taken some time out and will be back with a vengeance this year."

Last year, Loch Ness Monster was placed ahead of the Himalaya's Yeti in a list of "top 18 mysteries" for travellers to solve in 2014.

Wanderlust Magazine put Nessie at number three and the Yeti at 12.

Easter Island's carved monoliths, the moai, were in first place followed by Mongolia's Gobi rock art.