Lion Spotted in Essex? Police Quit Search (PHOTO)
Police in the U.K. have called of their search for an alleged stray lion that was spotted by locals in Essex near London as new reports suggest that it was probably just a large cat.
More than two dozen officers were involved in the search for hair, droppings and paw prints on Sunday night after residents of Earls Hall Farm, St. Osyth reported seeing a lion. It was soon canceled after police found no evidence of the animal.
"Nothing has been found to suggest that a lion was in the area," a police spokesman told CNN.com, adding that it was most likely a "large domestic cat or a wildcat."
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Various holidaymakers reported seeing a lion including Bob Martin, who explained that he and his wife saw a large cat and a lion "was the first thing that came to mind."
"We believe we saw a large cat looking at a tree ... it just sat there looking at us. Lion was the first thing that came into mind but it was several hundred yards away ... it was very impressive," Bob said.
Rick Baker, 39, of Romford, Essex, claims that he saw the lion while walking with his two sons, aged 9 and 11, near the Seawick Holiday Park.
"It is a male lion, the size of three Great Danes. A bloke came running, shouting, 'It's a bloomin' lion.' My sons are quite frightened. One of them keeps asking me, 'Daddy, the lion's not going to eat us is it?'" Baker told The Sun U.K.
Police reportedly used helicopters and teamed up with experts from a local zoo during their search, which lasted less than 24 hours.
"Public safety is our priority which is why we are taking the sighting and all associated evidence seriously," a police statement read shortly after the sighting.
A Twitter page that is dedicated to the lion was created shortly after the sightings with the Twitter name @EssexLion. In less than 24 hours it had almost 39,000 followers.
A series of sarcastic tweets have been posted which reflect some of the more skeptical attitudes that some critics have toward the alleged lion sighting.
"ROAR BRUV!" one tweet read followed by "SITTING IN A PARK, CAN OF STELLA AND LEG OF SMALL CHILD. I'M LUVVIN IT."
