Please help! i have no idea what this is.

[cornish-thyme]

The red tail of this moth(?) in the grass took my eye as i was walking through a field. At first glance i thought it might be a cricket or grasshopper of some sort (pale yellow body, bright red pointed tail), but as i got closer it took off (greyish wings with black marks). Managed to follow it until it landed again and saw that the legs were wrong for a cricket/grasshopper and it had a long 'nose', managed to take a picture and thought that i'd be able to find it it one of my books without too much difficulty. No such luck!! I've spent hours looking through pictures of various moths, butterflies and other flying insects to no avail. Please can someone put me out of my misery and id this thing for me!
Thank you

[Gerel]

Hi

It's a female scorpion fly, Panorpa sp. I think there are three UK species which can only be easily separated by examing the male reproductive organs (the curved tail that gives them their name).

[cornish-thyme]

Thank you...that would explain why i couldn't find it in any of my books or online doh!