Lough Neagh is shrinking and could be gone by 2050

The environmental impact survey by McCool Ltd showed that water levels have dropped by as much as five metres in the past decade.

They put the shrinkage down to climate change adding that if the trend continues the lough could disappear entirely within the next 30 years.

McCool Ltd’s Alec Smart said: “While global sea levels are rising due to the climate crisis, higher temperatures in other areas are having exactly the opposite effect.

“As many will be aware Lough Neagh was created during a fight between two giants and now we’ve got a giant fight on our hands to save it.”

But not everyone is keen on preserving the body of water.

News that the lough is retreating has sparked interest from investors seeking to reclaim the land where the famous lough once was.

Plans include a 400-screen cinema, the world’s first drive-thru supermarket, and ironically, a water park.

Another positive impact of the lough’s disappearance could be a series of new motorways and carriageways linking the west and east of the Province, meaning the journey time from Cookstown to Belfast could be reduced to just over half an hour.

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