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Another Sighting of Mystery Beast By Lynn Grainger

Stafford Post: 31st July 2008

Stafford Post
   
It seems the Stafford beast has been on the prowl yet again . . .
Local Hannah Woolley e-mailed us to say her fiance Mark Jackson saw it just a few days ago.
"We've been following the beast stories in the Post for some time and last Thursday (July 24) Mark is convinced he saw it," she says.
"We were at my mum's house, which is right next door to Stafford Castle, and Mark saw something big and black walk past the patio doors in the back garden.
"He is convinced it was a big black cat as after he saw it he went out the back and measured the garden bench. It had walked right in front of it and was the same height - and the bench was 2ft high - and there is no way a domestic cat or black dog could be that shape or size."
Hannah added: "We've not seen it since but if there are black cats in Stafford surely Stafford Castle would be a perfect place for them to be?"
In recent weeks the number of Stafford sightings of a mysterious animal have increased. It has been seen stalking fields near Gnosall, prowling the streets of Castlefields and, more recently, travelling via farm land at Beaconside.
Prompted by the recent flood of reports of a 'Stafford beast' published in the Post a leading animal expert took to the countryside of the borough this month in search of the elusive creature.
Derek Crawley is the County Mammal Recorder for Staffordshire. Following an alleged sighting of a big cat in fields near Parkside, Derek attempted to trace the animal.
"I had a look in the area," he said. "There is an underpass which holds good mud but there were no foot prints and there is no clear path through the hedge where a large animal could have gone."
Mr Crawley, who is responsible for cataloging every mammal species living wild across the county, also called on eyewitnesses to record the size, shape and markings of the beast so it could be identified.
"It would be helpful if people could compare it to an Alsatian, both with regard to height and length, as well as its colour and pattern," he told the Post.
Mr Crawley said it was likely locals had seen dark foxes, dogs or family cats which seen against distant objects could make them seem large.
He also dismissed claims that a four-inch long pawprint found in a bunker at Stafford Castle Golf Club earlier this month was that of a big cat, telling the Post he believed it was that of a large dog.
He added it was vital the descriptions of the Stafford beast were as accurate and detailed as possible.
"Statements like 'it was the size of a deer' do not help as most deer species are taller then any big cat. And if they are talking about Muntjac (small deer found on the Chase) then that's about the size of a small Labrador."
* Have you seen the beast? 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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