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Skiers have been told to stay calm after video of an "alleged yeti sighting" went viral.

Shaky footage of what looks like a strange ape-like creature with white fur clambering though the snow was posted online this week.

Spanish ski resort bosses have been forced to comb part of the Pyrenees after the images sent the internet into a frenzy. But sceptical viewers of the footage say it is just a man dressed in a furry suit.

A skier sounded the alert after posting the photo taken at Formigal in northeastern Spain on a popular website with the message: “Strange animal spotted in Formigal. What the hell is this?.”

The picture, retweeted thousands of times, sparked a search by ski resort owners Aramon and a frenzied debate over whether a Spanish Yeti was on the loose or if it was a bear, Photoshop montage or even a soldier wearing mountain camouflage.

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The mystery remained unsolved last night, although skiers were being reassured there was no cause for alarm.

A spokesman for the resort confirmed a search of the area had been conducted after an “alleged Yeti sighting.”

He said: “We have spoken to the witnesses of the sighting to identify the area in which it took place and after combing the area we have found nothing.

“We believe therefore that there is no cause for alarm and that visitors’ security is guaranteed.

“In any case we will remain alert.”

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The mystery man behind the photo, who posted it on a popular Internet forum under the user name Kangaroo, sparked the alarm by writing: “This morning skiing in Formigal with friends we’ve come across this. What the hell is it?“

"A bear or a bloody Yeti?“

"We’ve told the ski resort but they haven’t taken us seriously.“

"I bet there’s something on the loose out there. I know what I saw.”

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Former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer Fonsi Nieto were among those who joined in the debate the photo sparked, tweeting: “Is there a bear in Formigal? Be careful."

Others joked the animal was Snowflake, the famous albino gorilla who lived at Barcelona Zoo from 1966 to 2003, back from the dead.

He was put down after being diagnosed with an unusual form of skin cancer.

The Yeti, also known as the Abominable Snowman, is an ape-like creature taller than an average human said to inhabit the Himalayas.

The scientific community generally regards the Yeti as a legend given the lack of conclusive evidence.