New photographs claiming to show the Loch Ness monster are the fifth suspected sighting this year, it has emerged.

Retired printer Roy Johnston took a series of pictures of a creature breaking the surface of the Highland loch last month.

The 63-year-old, from Essex, admitted that he thought he was going mad.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I though I was going mad

Roy Johnston

Reported sightings of Nessie date back to the 7th Century, when a water beast is said to have appeared "with strong shaking" before St Columba.

There have been numerous sightings down the years, with the most famous picture being taken in 1934 by surgeon Robert Wilson.

That photograph was exposed as a fake 60 years later.

However, Gary Campbell, of the Loch Ness Monster Fan Club, said very few pictures were actually fakes.

He said many people came forward genuinely every year believing that they had seen something in the loch.

Everyday people

Mr Campbell said he had not yet seen the latest pictures to verify them.

"But it is the fifth sighting this year, and it has all been ordinary everyday people who have no axe to grind," he said.

The pictures taken by Mr Johnston show a thin snake-like creature.

There have been a number of photographs down the years

He made his sighting after pulling into a lay-by as he and wife Janet returned from a holiday in Scotland.

The couple stopped near Inchnacardoch on the A82 at about 0900 BST on 21 August and Mr Johnston walked down to the water's edge.

He said: "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I though I was going mad.

"The first thought that sprang into my mind was 'It's an elephant'. I know it sounds silly but it looked like a trunk. It was the same length and width."

Mr Johnston started taking pictures with a point-and-shoot camera.

No noise

"It was about seven or eight feet out of the water and it was obvious that there was more of it underneath the surface.

"It was a black, greyish colour but I couldn't see a head. It didn't make any noise.

"After a few minutes, it disappeared back underwater and there was a barely audible splash."