Man spends 15 years creating Loch Ness Monster hedge

Alex Sutherland has sculpted an eight-metre long, four-metre high beech hedge into the shape of the Loch Ness monster. Picture: Deadline

A fisherman has spent 15 years clipping a garden hedge into the shape of the Loch Ness Monster.

Alex Sutherland, 68, is a part-time ghillie, helping dozens of eager punters reel in trout and salmon on Loch Ness each year.

He even appeared on a Nessie-hunting episode of popular TV series “River Monsters”, which screens on the Animal Planet channel on Sky.

Now he has unveiled another talent - topiary.

Alex has sculpted an eight-metre long, four-metre high beech hedge into the shape of Loch Ness’ most famous resident at his home in Errogie, 20 miles south of Inverness and three miles from the famous loch.

The monster task has taken him over 15 years.

He said: “It wasn’t always going to be Nessie. I started it about 15 years ago. I got a bit too enthusiastic with the clippers. I’ve always admired topiary.

“You kind of go with the shape of the hedge. It occurred to me that it lent itself to several humps.

“I did have a cockerel at one end but it turned into a hump. It was an evolutionary thing. Then I added a bicycle reflector for an eye.

“I’ve done fishing trips on Loch Ness and I’ve talked to a lot of people about what they’ve seen. So I take inspiration from that.”