In a plan that looks similar to one being used by oil companies in the Gulf of Mexico, a massive metal "top hat" is being built by oil yard specialists in the Highlands of Scotland to seal off a new and worrying volcanic plume.

Dr. Pott said, "the situation is difficult and dangerous as this lava and sulphur outflow is 750 feet beneath the loch's pitch black water. If left unchecked it could create millions of litres of sulphuric acid with the potential for wiping out salmon, catfish, eels and of course the world famous cryptid, Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster."

Other cryptozoological specialists are equally concerned. Professor Kettle warned that the mission was probably a "one off chance to avert disaster".

Loch Ness has very acidic and dark water due to the massive amount of peat that is washed in from thousands of streams and rivers and cryptozoologists believe that this makes it especially vulnerable to environmental damage.

A specialised ship with enormous lifting gear and submersible robot submarines has been chartered to drop the steel top hat onto the volcanic plume, which will then be covered with over a million tonnes of rock dynamited from the underwater cliffs.