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More Sightings of Black Beast By Lynn Grainger

Stafford Post: 3rd July 2008

Stafford Post
   
Readers' incredible accounts of their encounters with the Stafford Beast have sparked more eyewitnesses to come forward this week.
In June the Post revealed a panther-like creature had been spotted in Parkside, Western Downs, Gnosall and Castlefields.
Witnesses stated the animal was not a dog or domestic cat - but something very different.
This week local couple David Barron and Sue Jones told us they came face-to-face with the beast two years ago in Gnosall.
Walking their dogs they were surprised to see a large black animal walking behind the railway lines near Newport Road.
David recalled: "We walk our dogs over that way. We saw this big black thing, it was very narrow at the back, definitely not a dog.
"It slunk off down the bank. I've never seen anything like it before. It was a black panther."
Despite sightings dating from just two weeks ago to the mid-90s, it seems the beast may have been prowling the borough for decades.
George Redpath, who now lives in Fife, Scotland, explained: "I was stationed at RAF Stafford in 1965 and at that time a black 'panther' was seen by one of the civilian drivers on the camp. And that was long before 1976 when the Dangerous Wild Animals Act was introduced."
It is rumoured high licence costs forced some owners to release big cats into the wild.
The report at the camp led to Mr Redpath's life-long fascination with big cats.
"There is no doubt that the cats are out there, in fact there are sightings on an almost daily basis from all parts of the UK," he said.
"I've been recording and investigating sightings for almost 20 years and during that time have interviewed many hundreds of witnesses reporting sightings of these cats. There will always be sceptics, of course, and rightly so - I was one myself until I observed my first cat."
* Have YOU seen the beast or found any trace of it? If so, contact the Post on 01785 212370 or write to us at 35 Eastgate Street, Stafford, ST16 2LZ. Email: stafford_post@mrn.co.uk.

Do you have any information on the above reports. Were you the person involved, or are you aware of any more sightings in this area. We would appreciate any information that you could give us.

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