Why man dressed as The Stig was spotted in Norwich river

'The Stig' spotted in the River Wensum Credit: Alan Forster (Image: Archant)

Amateur photographer Alan Forster, 71, from Horsford, was walking by Cow Tower on Thursday morning at 11.30am when he spotted a man dressed as the Top Gear stunt driver in the river.

He posted a picture on Facebook Group Norfolk Countryside Photos of his strange sighting, with one member questioning 'did Top Gear's 'Stig' get lost on his way to the Snetterton race track?'

Another quipped, 'Wondering if he suffers from bad hayfever or a pollen allergy?'

However, all was not at it seemed as Mr Forster later posted an image in the comments showing a cameraman in the boat with 'The Stig' which had been rented from Pub and Paddle, based next to the Red Lion Pub in Bishopgate.

'The Stig' spotted in the River Wensum Credit: Alan Forster (Image: Archant)

Mr Forster said: 'I walk every day and take photos all over Norfolk and I saw four young fellows at the Red Lion pub getting dressed outside.

'They boarded at Bishopgate and got as far as Cow Tower and then went back again.

'There was one man in the canoe with him with a camera and tripod that was filming everything and another two men at the bank.

'One of them shouted at me from the canoe if I was getting nice photos and I said yes.

'The Stig' spotted in the River Wensum Credit: Alan Forster (Image: Archant)

'I didn't know what to think but I assumed they were film students as they were young men in their late teens and early twenties.

'This is the strangest thing I've seen in Norwich this year.'

Were you the men filming in the River Wensum? Email louisa.baldwin@archant.co.uk