The search is finally over for a Norwich wildlife youtuber who has spent three months trying to film an otter in a city river.

Liam Smith said he had come close to giving up ever filming the animal after a number of unsuccessful attempts.

The 27-year-old runs the A Shot of Wildlife Youtube channel and said he was 'caught off guard' when he found it on December 14.

Over the course of an eight to 12 week period he walked the same route some 30 times.

Mr Smith said: "After searching for otters on the Wensum for months it felt amazing to finally see one in daylight and to get such good views. It caught me off guard as I was so used to going looking and not seeing a thing."

Eastern Daily Press: Liam Smith filming himself at the river's side after spending months trying to film the otter in the River Wensum. Picture: Liam SmithLiam Smith filming himself at the river's side after spending months trying to film the otter in the River Wensum. Picture: Liam Smith (Image: Archant)

Passers-by had told him they had seen the otter along the river, stretching from Riverside and Cow Tower to New Mills Yard, Train Woods and Andersons Meadow.

He filmed the footage of the male otter on a handheld camera enjoying a solo trip down the river, diving in and out of the water and eating.

Male otters can be found on their own unless when females have young and growing cubs, resulting in the animals being see in small groups.

Mr Smith, who works for Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service and has been creating wildlife videos since 2015, said: "Our wildlife is fantastic and I hope the channel can go some way towards connecting people with the nature that is around them."

The wildlife fan grew up in Great Yarmouth and went on to study zoology in Cambridge.

He hopes to travel further afield to the Scottish highlands or west coast, but says there is plenty to film in Norfolk and East Anglia due to its 'sheer diversity'.

Mr Smith said: "Its outstanding how many different habitats and species you can get to within an hour of the city.

"When filming wildlife almost everything is a surprise.

"You could spend seven to eight hours without seeing a thing and then suddenly a bird of prey swoops in and sends everything flying, chaos for five minutes and then back to silence.

"You can visit certain places to be in with a good chance of seeing specific things, but there are no guarantees with wildlife."