The biggest hunt for the fabled Loch Ness Monster in more than 50 years is underway and organisers are “incredibly excited” they are getting closer to finding the mythical creature.

The Loch Ness Monster, affectionally known as Nessie, has been part of Scottish Folk Lore for centuries. 

Countless sightings have been reported of the mythical creature over the years, including four this year according to The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register.

The most recent sighting, according to the website, was reported on August 17.

Biggest hunt for Loch Ness Monster in 50 years begins

A newly revamped Loch Ness Centre has teamed up with Loch Ness Exploration - an independent and voluntary research team - to carry out the largest hunt for the Loch Ness Monster in more than 50 years. 

The search will run over two days this Bank Holiday weekend on Saturday and Sunday (August 26 and 27). 

The centre - located at the old Drumnadrochit Hotel - has called on those with a strong interest in finding the Scottish creature to get involved. 

Boats will be running from 10am to 6pm on both days and there are 17 different spotting locations around the loch, where volunteers can come down and watch proceedings.

If you can't get down in person, you can watch the hunt via livestream cameras.

Marketing executive for the Loch Ness Centre, Megan Rough, said this weekend's search for Nessie had them “incredibly excited” with interest coming from as far away as Australia.

Speaking to PA news agency, Ms Rough said: “When the call went out for volunteers for the quest weekend, which has been happening since early this morning – 8.30am – and won’t finish until 6pm this evening, we did not anticipate how much enthusiasm it would generate.

“We’ve had people emailing us from Australia, from New Zealand, from Canada, America and all across Europe.

“There’s so much love for Nessie out there that we just didn’t realise existed and it’s really amazing to see this bring so many people together.”

The Herald: You can join in the hunt for Nessie in person or you can watch it via livestream.You can join in the hunt for Nessie in person or you can watch it via livestream. (Image: PA)

She said boats going up and down the loch have been “full”, and the centre has been receiving emails and Facebook messages from people sharing their findings.

Surveying equipment that has never been used on Loch Ness before will make an appearance, including hydrophones, which will help detect acoustic signals under the water.

Ms Rough added: “What we are doing this weekend is using hydrophones, combined with sonar equipment, which beams light down to the bottom of the loch and then throws back up images of what lie beneath.

She added that overnight, thermal imaging drones will fly over the loch, which will create a heat map of what lies beneath the water.

Asked why many are drawn to the mythical creature, she said: “I believe it’s firstly the mystery.

“And secondly, the fact that Nessie seems to be a truly polarising subject, even for the thousands of people that believe in Nessie, they can’t agree on what they actually think Nessie is.

“There isn’t enough conclusive evidence to point us in any one direction and that’s why this weekend is so exciting because we just don’t know what we’re going to find and perhaps we will be able to find something that then leads us that little bit closer to determining what the Loch Ness Monster is.”