The video will start in 8 Cancel

News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The Loch Ness Monster has reportedly been seen – with her “family” in tow.

Tourist Dakota Frandsen was on holiday from Idaho when he reported seeing a large dark shape - with the skin of a "hippopotamus" - about 40 feet in length, moving about in the water close to the Urquhart Castle jetty.

The castle is a favourite sighting spot of Nessie.

“Interestingly there were a number of shapes seen in the water so it may be Nessie and her family,” said Gary Campbell, Keeper of the Official Register of Sightings at Loch Ness.

“The main shape seemed to purposely avoid the boat traffic in the area but Dakota also reported that as a black speedboat came by it seemed to attract the central shape’s attention which lead it to briefly surface.

“The ‘skin’ of the object was grey in colour, almost like that of a hippopotamus. Other, similar shapes seemed to also appear but quickly vanished.”

(Image: Getty Images)

Sightings of the Loch Ness Monster set new global records last year.

Nessie’s 11 accepted sightings in 2017 were the highest this century.

A woman who had a monster surprise on her honeymoon in the Highlands also recently won £1500 for the experience.

The annual Best Nessie Sighting of the year was won by Rebecca Stewart of Lancashire with a picture she took on her honeymoon last October.

(Image: Hulton Archive)

Mrs Stewart from Chadderton, Oldham, photographed and saw the large fin shape for five minutes.

Her husband Paul also saw the creature which was taken while they were with their two year old son Thomas along with the family dog.

Mrs Stewart’s sighting was accepted by the Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register and then entered into the competition which has a prize of £1500 given by bookmakers William Hill.

A bookmaker last year slashed the odds on the possibility of the Loch Ness Monster’s existence being proven.

Betway cut the odds of the beast’s existence being confirmed from 5000/1 to 500/1.