The urban myth about a giant pike believed to have killed more than 100 ducklings appears to have been laid to rest.

Ropner Park lake in Stockton is in the process of being drained but there is no sign of the 30lb monster pike of legend.

So far the only items being pulled from the lake are rusty bike parts and shopping trolleys.

Fishermen have been trying to catch the giant pike since the mid-1990s when reports first emerged of a pike killing ducklings and signets.

However urban foxes have also been blamed for wiping out much of the duck and swan population on the two-acre stretch of water.

The draining of the pond is part of £2.5m Heritage Lottery works to restore the large park to its Victorian glory. Fish are being removed today FRI before the last of the lake is drained.

Tony Raine, Ropner park ranger, said: "There's no sign of the pike, which is a bit of a shame. We think this is the first time the lake has been drained for 50 years and we have got up to 2ft of silt to deal with. We pumped the river at a rate of 90 litres per second for two-and-a-half days and there's still plenty to go once the Environment Agency has removed the fish."