IT IS legend that has eluded many for hundreds of years.

But one Hampshire resident believes she may have spotted the infamous Loch Ness Monster in the Solent.

Debbie Lear was cycling along the Southsea seafront on Friday morning, just before 6am, when she snapped what she believes to be the mythical creature.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, a 'Loch Ness Monster' caused a stir at a Southampton lake two years ago.

Debbie said: "I decided to stop to take a photo of the beautiful sun, rising above the Isle of Wight.

"I took two photos in quick succession so I knew I had a good photo, something I always do. I was looking back through my photos that I took yesterday along the seafront and was startled!

"In one of the photos there was a patch of what looked like rocks sticking out of the calm water, but in the next photo this 'patch of rocks' had disappeared. "

The startling images clearly show something mysterious in the flat calm sea, reminiscent of the famous monster believed to live in the Scottish Loch.

But in the next photo taken moments later it has vanished.

The latest sighting comes after reports of other people spotting Nessie this week around the Isle of Wight.

Trevor and Jo Wilde believed they saw the creature off the coast of the Isle of Wight when they were travelling to Cornwall.

A photo they snapped reveals a striking similarity to the one Debbie also took last week.