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| Essex 'lion': Police call off St Osyth animal search | Essex 'lion': Police call off St Osyth animal search |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Police in Essex investigating reports of a lion being spotted in a field have called off the 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. | 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". | 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. | Police officers decided to call off the search on Monday after no trace of a big cat was found. |
| "We believe we saw a large cat looking at a tree... it just sat there looking at us," said Mr Martin. | "We believe we saw a large cat looking at a tree... it just sat there looking at us," said Mr Martin. |
| Another holidaymaker, Stephen Atkin, 52, from Louth, Lincolnshire, who was staying at Earls Hall Farm caravan site, said he had also spotted the animal. | Another holidaymaker, Stephen Atkin, 52, from Louth, Lincolnshire, who was staying at Earls Hall Farm caravan site, said he had also spotted the animal. |
| He said he told police it was "definitely a very large animal, and possibly a lion, definitely a large cat". | He said he told police it was "definitely a very large animal, and possibly a lion, definitely a large cat". |
| He added: "We witnessed it, I would say, for about 20 to 30 minutes cleaning itself and rolling about in the field." | He added: "We witnessed it, I would say, for about 20 to 30 minutes cleaning itself and rolling about in the field." |
| Zoo experts | Zoo experts |
| A police spokesman said: "We believe what was seen on Sunday evening was either a large domestic cat or a wildcat. | 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. | "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. |
| "The reporting of the animal is not being treated as a hoax, but should such information come to light we will have no hesitation in making arrests." | "The reporting of the animal is not being treated as a hoax, but should such information come to light we will have no hesitation in making arrests." |
| Rumours circulated that paw prints found in a field were being checked out by police, but most locals remained doubtful. | Rumours circulated that paw prints found in a field were being checked out by police, but most locals remained doubtful. |
| As she dead-headed her roses, St Oysth resident Anne Robinson seemed unconcerned at reports a lion could be on the loose. | As she dead-headed her roses, St Oysth resident Anne Robinson seemed unconcerned at reports a lion could be on the loose. |
| "We've got quite a high garden fence," she said. "It would have a job jumping over that." | "We've got quite a high garden fence," she said. "It would have a job jumping over that." |
| The media hoping to shine a spotlight on the lion became an attraction itself. As TV reporters went live with the latest news, passing cars beeped their horns and some passengers made a fake roar. | The media hoping to shine a spotlight on the lion became an attraction itself. As TV reporters went live with the latest news, passing cars beeped their horns and some passengers made a fake roar. |
| The holidaymakers who spotted the mystery beast remain convinced they had seen a lion. But experts at Colchester Zoo were not convinced and in the end, neither was Essex Police. | The holidaymakers who spotted the mystery beast remain convinced they had seen a lion. But experts at Colchester Zoo were not convinced and in the end, neither was Essex Police. |
| But whether it exists or not, the St Oysth lion looks set to become part of Essex folklore. | But whether it exists or not, the St Oysth lion looks set to become part of Essex folklore. |
| Essex Police said about 25 officers were called to where the animal was seen, including specialist firearms officers and experts from Colchester Zoo. | Essex Police said about 25 officers were called to where the animal was seen, including 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |
| Anthony Tropeano, zoological director of Colchester Zoo, visited the scene and he 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." | "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". | 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 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. | 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. |