Haywards Heath and other sightings

There have been a handful of Sussex-related sightings received in the last couple of days, the most recent involving a motorist travelling to work at 5am on 24th September in the Haywards Heath area. A large black cat, the size of a labrador (as often stated) with a long tail bounded across the road. The witness had previously been sceptical to such sightings and told his wife who reported it. The wife of the witness reported also that three years previous she'd seen a puma at Ditchling Beacon. There have also been sightings reported from Hastings and near Brighton - both involving black leopard.

Slightly odd 'big cat' article from This Is Sussex

To read more of the June 2012 article (with a few strange comments thrown in)click HERE

The Sussex/Hampshire 'lion' hunt hoax

Not many people would have heard about the Sussex and Hampshire 'lion' hoax from 1905 and so have reproduced a cutting from the Wanganui Chronicle from 9th May 1905 which speaks of a ferocious beast on the loose that turned out to be nothing of a the sort - as in the case of so many other 'lion' reports. Other Sussex lion hoaxes will be mentioned in the book MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: SUSSEX which is currently being written. Click on the image for a better view.

The 'beast' of Battle

There has been a sighting in Battle of a black leopard. The animal was observed by several witnesses for more than ten minutes as it sauntered through an overgrown field, disturbing buzzards on its way. The animal kept a distance of around 200 yards before moving out of sight. During the 1990s there were several sightings of a puma around Battle - Battle Abbey custodian Daryl Burchmore reported to Meridian News that a tourist to the site had come into the office to say he'd seen a large puma roaming the grounds.

There has also been a lot of activity - animal deaths, scat - in a remote area of Lewes. This is under investigation.

Undisclosed location investigation

There have been several sightings recently at an undisclosed location Sussex resulting in several animal deaths. A calf, fox cubs, birds and other animals have been found completely stripped clean and in larger prey showing puncture marks. This incident is under investigation as it seems clear that at least one large cat (a black leopard judging by recent reports) is inhabiting a stretch of woodland. More of this will be highlighted in the upcoming book MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: SUSSEX which is currently being written.

Sussex Easter sightings

Over the Easter period, from the Good Friday to the Monday we received 4 Sussex-related sightings, the most recent, from Monday 9th April as follows:
'Monday 9 April,


'Your account of seeing a 'black leopard' is almost an exact description of what my girlfreind and i saw yesterday. We were on the outskirts of Cowden on Smithers Lane (turns into Furnace Lane Cowden end). Clear day, late afternoon and we saw what we could only describe as a big black cat. It was skirting the field along the hedgerow before crossing the field at a distance of roughly 500m all done at walking pace. Too far away to say 100% that it was a 'big cat' but we live just a few fields away and neither of us could put the sighting down to any other livestock/wild animal/cat or dog..(it moved just as you described..cat like).'

On Easter Sunday there was a sighting of a puma-like cat at Battle, where in the past there have been numerous reports. In the past there have bene several sightings around the grounds of Battle Abbey. A report of a black leopard was received from Ditchling, and there was also a report of a lynx at Uckfield on Good Friday. A landcspae gardener, who'd just finished a small job, was on his way home at 12:30 pm when the lynx sped across the road around 40 yards away.

Seaford 'big cat' update

Someone emailed with an update on the Seaford 'big cat':

http://kentbigcats.blogspot.com/2012/02/seaford-big-cat-update.html

Lynx seen at Brighton

A Mr Austin reported that whilst driving up Ditchling Road and the vicinity of Friar Road/Surrenden Rd, at 10:00 am, with his wife, a large "rabbit-coloured" cat sped across the road at tremendous speed and disappeared into a garden. The animal, which was only ten-feet away, headed north. The witness did not see a long tail one would associate with a puma and believed he'd seen a lynx.

"Big cat walked into our front room"!

The above statement was made by a Gemma Sherlow-Gray on Monday, 6th Feb's Meridian Tonight, after she claimed that a big black cat, the size of a labrador, and with green eyes, had strolled into her front room. The alleged incident took place at Seaford. and if true, could involve the same animal which was observed recently at Ovingdean, and other parts of Brighton and back towards Alfriston. A neighbour of the witness, named Alan Chandler, reported that large paw prints had been found in the snow near the houses, and may well have belonged to an animal that had come from the Seaford Head area. This report echoes a recent encounter at Ovingdean where a male witness claimed his small dog was being eyed up by a black leopard as it stared through his patio doors. A few years ago a man in London claimed that one night whilst feeling unwell, he opened his door in his Nunhead property, and was shocked when a big black cat strolled in. Such encounters seem highly unlikely, but the witnesses seem adamant that the animals they are encountering are 'big cats'.

South Chailey black leopard

A female dog trainer has reported a sighting of a black leopard on a rural pathway at South Chailey. The woman saw the cat on Friday 27th January 2012 at 2:30 pm and stated that although it was some distance away it was clearly not a domestic cat or dog. The animal casually strolled along a track, stopped to stretch then sauntered off. When the woman had finished her lesson she went to the spot and found large paw prints.
Over the last decade there have been numerous reports of a melanistic leopard in the area, the same cat is possibly the animal seen at Polegate, Brighton, Uckfield etc.
Many reports from the county of Sussex are currently being collated for a new book, MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: SUSSEX. Watch this space.