Thread: British police investigate Essex lion sighting

British police said Monday they were investigating reports of a lion being spotted in a field near a seaside town in the eastern county of Essex.

Armed officers spent the night scouring the area, while a police helicopter with heat-seeking equipment was deployed to help find the animal, alongside zoo workers armed with tranquilliser guns.

Officers were contacted shortly before 7:00pm (local time) on Sunday with a sighting by holidaymakers of the animal sitting in grassland in the village of St Osyth near Clacton-on-Sea.

Essex Police said their officers had been working with experts from nearby Colchester Zoo who believe the reports to be genuine after being shown a photograph from a member of the public.

"Public safety is our priority which is why we are taking the sighting and all associated evidence seriously," a police spokesman said.

British police investigate Essex lion sighting - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

BBC News - Essex 'lion': Police call off St Osyth animal search

Police in Essex investigating reports of a lion being spotted in a field have called off the search.
The animal was seen near Earl Hall Drive in St Osyth, near Clacton-on-Sea, by holidaymaker Bob Martin at about 19:00 BST on Sunday.
Mr Martin said he and his wife Denise saw a large cat and a lion "was the first thing that came to mind".
Police officers decided to call off the search on Monday after no trace of a big cat was found.
A police spokesman said: "We believe what was seen on Sunday evening was either a large domestic cat or a wildcat.
"Extensive searches have been carried out, areas examined and witnesses spoken to - yet nothing has been found to suggest that a lion was in the area."
Essex Police said about 25 officers were called to where the animal was seen, including about a dozen specialist firearms officers, and experts from Colchester Zoo.
Two police helicopters, one with thermal imaging equipment, were also used to try to detect any trace of an animal.
Police said all the animals at nearby Colchester Zoo had been accounted for.
A member of the public took a low quality photograph of the animal, but experts at the zoo said a definite identification of the animal was not possible based on the image.

The animal was seen in fields near Earls Hall Farm
Anthony Tropeano, Zoological Director of Colchester Zoo who visited the scene, said: "The photograph shows an animal in a field, it is a sandy brown colour, but the photography is of such poor quality it's not possible for us to say one way or the other what it definitely is."
"There were absolutely no sightings of it during the time I was there. Nothing really to provide any further evidence to suggest it had been there."
On Sunday night police had advised residents to stay indoors, but on Monday they said people should "go out and enjoy themselves" but "be a bit cautious".
The spokesman said a circus had been in the area, at Clacton Airfield, recently but added: "Officers have spoken to the circus and confirmed that they do not have an animal missing, nor do they have any lions."
The news of a potential lion on the loose captured the public imagination and three Twitter accounts - @EssexLion, @TheEssexLion and @Essex_Lion - were quickly set up.

Its all over the news here. It will be some prank!

That said they now think it may be from a travelling circus. Police are now saying its fine to go out into that area!!!!!

Rather them than me!

Originally Posted by Daft Old Cat

The spokesman said a circus had been in the area, at Clacton Airfield, recently but added: "Officers have spoken to the circus and confirmed that they do not have an animal missing, nor do they have any lions."

That clears that then, prob someones golden lab!

Originally Posted by Daft Old Cat

"Officers have spoken to the circus and confirmed that they do not have an animal missing, nor do they have any lions."

Hmmm... Never use 2 excuses when 1 will do.

Plus they're pikeys. Not to be trusted.

All clear it was a Millwall fan on his way home after the match.

Search called off it was just a big dog.

BBC News - Stuffed toy tiger sparks police hunt


probably another like this one from a couple years back.

Colchester -

Originally Posted by nigelandjan

Incredible really that area is a shithole

Those romans knew bugger all about art. Belusconi's dad was a chariot repairer and not a very good one apparently

More likely to be a puma.

Your average Clacton airhead wouldn't know the difference.