From time to time I like to blog about the surreal things that seem to happen in Wales... this little gem, from the Times (no less) of 16th July 2007, is absolutely priceless:

Nessie’ bobs up in Welsh river
Coastguards issued an alert after a creature like the Loch Ness monster was spotted in a river.

The 25ft-long monster was seen floating in Wales. But the “Nessie” was a giant raft built for a river festival that was dashed from its mooring by a felled tree during heavy rain. A search team finally found the raft, which has a 6ft tall Loch Ness Monster head and a tail, five miles downstream in the River Towy near Carmarthen, West Wales.

Ian McCue, chairman of the Carmarthen River Festival, said: “It was quite embarrassing . . . In fact, the coastguard I spoke to was in hysterics for about 10 minutes when I told him.”

You really couldn't make it up, could you???