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IT was the 'documentary' that claimed to prove the existence of mermaids.

Unfortunately for the millions who tuned in, the Animal Planet special was nothing but a man-made hoax.

Mermaids: The New Evidence, which aired on Sunday in the UK, reeled in a record 3.6 million viewers - the largest in the network's 17-year history.

Biologist Dr Paul Roberton returned in the 'mocumentary', claiming to reveal never-before-seen footage of the assumed mythical creatures swimming in the Greenland Sea.

After it was broadcast, 1.5million streams of mermaid-related video surfaced online, while Twitter erupted with posts about the show and the purported existence of mermaids.

Animal Planet's president and general manager Marjorie Kaplan said: "The phenomenon of mermaids has truly been a watershed -- and a water-cooler - moment for Animal Planet. These extraordinary television specials have electrified, challenged and entertained television audiences and online fans alike."

However many viewers failed to catch the blink-and-you'll-miss-it disclaimer towards the end which described the program as 'science fiction' based on 'scientific theory'.