THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE...AND THIS MYSTERY MAN HOLDS KEY

Investigator's appeal to trace Kevin after he's revealed as hiker who took photo at centre of MoD cover-up

- MARK MCGIVERN

INVESTIGATORS believe a Scot could hold an important clue to one of the world's biggest UFO mysteries.

The "Calvine photo" taken in Perthshire in 1990 is regarded as one of the clearest UFO pictures ever taken but is at the centre of a mystery after images sent to the Ministry of Defence disappeared.

But one certified copy emerged last year, showing a diamond-shaped object in the sky above Perthshire - believed by some to be the world's "best ever UFO photo".

The Daily Record has now been told that the person who took the photo was a young Glaswegian called Kevin Russell, who was working as a porter at the Pitlochry Hydro Hotel at the time.

Kevin and a friend were left terrified by the 100ft long aircraft, which they said hovered above the A9 near Calvine for 10 minutes then soared off at high speed when buzzed by RAF jets.

Investigator Matthew Illsley told the Record: "The identity of Kevin Russell, the photographer, remained a secret for 33 years, until now.

"We would very much like him to come forward to confirm once and for all that what he saw was real.

"The Calvine incident remains one of the most confounding UFO mysteries in history. They may not prove there is life on Mars but no one has ever argued that.