Animal Carcass Found After Big Cat Sightings
Weald country park was surrounded by police last night after reports
that a black panther-like cat was sighted twice in the area.Park
visitors were being told to stay in their cars by officers yesterday
evening after a large animal carcass was discovered following the
second sighting.
Police summoned in the helicopter and it is believed armed response
units were also brought in to deal with the incident.
The cat was initially sighted at about 12.30pm on land off Lincoln's
Lane, near Felly's Farm riding stables by Amy McRitchie, 17, who was
schooling her horse.
She said: "I went into the stables and my horse was a bit on edge. I
didn't think much of it to begin with but then started to hear
growling noises.
"I looked through the fence to the field next door. I saw a big black
animal. It was definitely a big cat. I saw a glimpse of it. It was 3ft
high by about 4ft or 5ft long.
"They got a helicopter out to hunt with thermal imaging. They checked
the field for prints. They did find some but could not say what they were.
"There were four or five policemen there at the time, two of which
were armed."
Helen Hickford, who was at the stables, said: "The girls riding horses
heard something which sounded like a contented lion in the bushes near
the menage. It was in scrubland near the stables."
Over the years there have been repeated sightings of a large black,
panther-like animal in the west Essex area, and it has become known as
the Beast of Brentwood.
Brentwood Gazette: 25th October 2006
