But others argue that it is nothing more than a playful hoax

Some insist that it is evidence of Britain's biggest crab

The seaside town might be famed for its oysters, but this incredible image could soon have visitors flocking to Whistable in the hope of catching Britain's biggest crab.

The photograph, which has been shared online, appears to show a crustacean that is at least 50ft-wide lurking in shallow water.

While some insist it is proof of 'Crabzilla', others argue that the shadowy figure is nothing more than an unusually-shaped sandbank - or is simply a playful hoax.

Crabzilla: The photograph, above, which has been shared online, appears to show a crustacean that is at least 50ft wide lurking in the shallow water. It dwarfs the fishing boasts resting on the nearby pier

The image shows the outline of a crab in the mouth of the Kent harbour - dwarfing the fishing boats resting on the nearby pier.

It is shaped like an edible crab, a species that is commonly found in British water and grows to an average of five inches.

The photograph was posted on a website called Weird Whitstable - an online collection of strange and unusual sightings in the town.

Its curator, Quinton Winter, said that at first he thought the image - sent to him by a follower - showed an unusual sand formation, but that he is now convinced it is a monster of the deep.

Speaking to the Daily Express, he claimed that he saw the giant creature close to the shore when he took his son crabbing last summer.

He said: 'At first all I could see was some faint movement, then as it rose from the water I thought, "that’s a funny looking bit of driftwood".

Hoax? It is shaped like an edible crab, a species that is commonly found in British water but normally grows to no more than 10 inches. Some claim that the incredible image is simply a playful hoax

'It had glazed blank eyes on stalks, swivelling wildly and it clearly was a massive crab with crushing claws.

'Before this incident I thought the aerial photo showed an odd-shaped sand bank. Now I know better.'