A nine-year-old boy has taken a photo of what appears to be the Loch Ness monster.

Loch Ness monster spotted

Loch Ness monster spotted

Sam Knight snapped the picture during a cruise on the Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands, which captures a dark triangle shape breaking the surface.

The image, obtained by the Mirror Online, has been credited by experts as an official sighting of the monster, which marks the eighth time this year.

And Sam's mother, Dr Jo Knight, thinks the sighting is still ''a mystery''.

Sam's mother, Dr Jo Knight, said: ''Sam is very excited. It appears to be a very dark shape somewhere in Urquhart Bay. It is part of the mystery.''