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.