PARANORMAL investigators attempting to find evidence of a North-East Bigfoot say they, too, have caught a glimpse of the elusive creature.

A dozen-strong team has been searching woodland surrounding Bolam Lake, in Northumberland, looking for clues of the fabled half-human, half-ape creature spotted originally by three anglers.

A four-day hunt was led by a team of people describing themselves as professional monster hunters, from the Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ), in Exeter.

Armed with equipment, including cameras, dowsing rods that point in the direction of "unusual activity" and electromagnetic field detectors, used to trace the earth's natural electromagnetic energy, they scoured woodland.

Most of those involved in the investigation were under the impression they were on the trail of a supernatural creature, with one member of the group thinking it was what was known as a woodwose, or troll, in medieval times.

Jonathan Downes, leader of the expedition and director of the CFZ, said he was one of four people to catch sight of it during the expedition, held over the weekend.

He said: "I was blown away. When I came up here, I thought it was a hoax. I was convinced they had seen something and they believed it, but I didn't in a million years think I would see it.

He said that the creature ran across the group's path about 150ft away from where they were standing, but they did not manage to take a photograph.

This week, the team completed its investigation and is already preparing to look into similar sightings reported at Sherwood Forest, in Nottingham, and Cannock Chase, Staffordshire.