Crocodile 'spotted' at Fairburn Ings nature reserve by experienced photographer

Lee Collings, 46, said he had never seen anything similar in over 30 years as a wildlife photographer.

He said: "I am 46 years old, and have been a birdwatcher for over 30 years, and I've never seen anything like this, other than a crocodile or alligator.

"It walked like it was rigid.

"It moved slow, but too fast to photograph it.

"By the time I realised what I thought it was. It was 3ft to 4 ft in length, and about 4 to 5 inches high.

"I'm not bothered about being ridiculed, I'm that confident about what I saw.

"The only thing that it could be, if there's any in the area is an Otter, but it was moving too slow and rigid."