Conspiracy theorists are speculating over the appearance of a mystery sea creature captured on video in the River Tyne.
Local Kevin Burton filmed the unknown creature while sat on the North Pier at Tynemouth during the summer.
He uploaded the footage to YouTube under the title “Mystery Sea Creature”, and joked “I think I witnessed the first sighting of the Loch Ness Monster outside of Scotland.”
The video was uploaded on August 10 and has since been shared by popular conspiracy page The Hidden Underbelly and viewed more than 13,500 times in the weeks since.
YouTube commenters have speculated on the nature of the creature filmed in the waters on a warm summer morning.
One comment read: “With all the radiation spilling into our waters, no telling what creatures are forming. Japan’s nuclear Reactor is STILL leaking into the water!”
Another user wrote: “Loch Ness solves [sic].”
One user speculated on the meaning of the creature’s appearance, writing: “Looks like an Oarfish to me, only Oarfish are deep ocean fish from warmer waters so not so sure you would get one in the cold, shallow North Sea.
“Is it there to give warning that Whitley Bay is going to be hit by a huge earthquake soon?”
Several YouTube users speculated whether the creature was an oarfish or a sea snake, while others were more sceptical of Mr Burton’s finding.
One wrote: “It looks artificial to me, maybe a piece of plastic or something being moved by the currents.”
