BEASTS OF LONDON

CFZ Press release for MYSTERY ANIMALS....LONDON

2012-01-12T11:37:00.001-08:00

The Centre for Fortean Zoology’s Mystery Animals of the British Isles series continues to put out detailed guides to the weirder side of Britain’s zoology, and Neil Arnold’s latest book, Mystery Animals of the British Isles: London is no exception.

Every aspect of the capital’s strange fauna is analysed, with sections on Alien Big Cats, the Highgate Vampire, sky and water beasts, as well as a look at the weird goings on in Harrods and the Tower of London, making this book an extremely detailed reference guide to the strange goings on throughout the years in London.

Though still a sprawling metropolis, London is still a hub for odd happenings. Take for instance, the vultures in the parks, the London Goatman, the beast of Ruislip, giant catfish in the canals, scorpions in the supermarkets, huge rats in the sewers, the Brentford Griffin, fish-falls, Spring-Heeled Jack and spectral horses, and you end up with a city far stranger than one would expect!

Elegantly written in an engaging style, Arnold manages to weave together the complicated zoological mysteries surrounding London into a comprehensive volume vast in scope, but still prefect for bedtime reading. You will never walk the streets of London in quite the same mindset ever again…

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON is available from Amazon

Mystery beast lurks in London's Olympic Park

2011-12-19T13:58:00.000-08:00

Terrapin ? Catfish ? Giant pike ? The mystery unravelled at the Daily Mail, courtesy of Cryptozoology News from 17th December

Lemur found on Tooting Common

2011-12-12T08:52:00.000-08:00

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/2011/12/freezing-lemur-found-on-uk-common.html

The London Word mentions 'Mystery Animals of...London'

2011-11-19T06:19:00.000-08:00

The wonderful website The London Word has mentioned MYSTERY ANIMALS OF...LONDON.

Surrey puma sighting

2011-10-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 23rd October 2011 at 9:00 pm a motorist named Tim was travelling on the A25 between Wescott and Dorking when a large animal, resembling a puma, and measuring approximately 4-ft in length, and sporting a long tail, crossed the road. Sightings of the so-called Surrey puma still persist, several decades after the original mystery came to light during the 1960s. The mystery hit national headlines in the '60s but since then the legendary beast has been relegated to folklore. The puma - also known as the mountain lion and cougar, is native to the United States and Canada, and in the wild can live for around thirteen years. The fact that there's been a recent sighting near Dorking proves that such animals must have bred when many individual cats were released during the 1970s and '80s after the introduction of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON - OUT NOW

2011-10-24T10:20:00.000-07:00

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON By Neil Arnold, published by the CFZ, is now available. The long wait is finally over. This much anticipated book is the first of its kind to venture forth into the concrete jungle of England's capital city and unravel fantastic, yet true tales of monsters and mysterious beasts. From yarns spun pertaining to strange creatures in the River Thames, to odd things-a-flutter in the skies of the city. Supernatural animals, beasts escaping from menageries, sightings of exotic cats such as leopards and lynx and the Surrey puma, and not forgetting a whole host of weird and wonderful arcane animals cast from the Ark. MYSTERY ANIMALS OF...LONDON weighs in at more than 300 pages, is richly illustrated and indexed, and proves once and for all that the greenest corners, dankest sewers, and darkest streets can still harbour all manner of elusive and out of place creatures. So, if you're thrilled, or repulsed by tales of flesh-eating giant rats, prowling alligators, blood-sucking fish, rampant wolves, swooping eagles and vultures, ghostly lions, spectral bears, phantom chickens and real life vampires, then MYSTERY ANIMALS OF...LONDON is perfect for campfires constructed on a crisp autumnal night. The book is available from Amazon and all good bookshops

Rare seahorse found in River Thames

2011-10-09T15:13:00.001-07:00

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/2011/10/rare-seahorse-found-in-river-thames.html

1983 report of coatimundi

2011-09-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

30/9/1983 - '2 coatimundi found in Surrey wood'
Conservationists are puzzled by the discovery of the coatimundi, relatives of the raccoon, in a Surrey wood. The creatures were found in a nature reserve near Redhill, but it is not known how they came to be there. Mr John Drewett of the Surrey Trust for Nature Conservation, said the pair were assumed to have escaped from a zoo, although none had been reported missing. He added that they could possibly survive in the wild in Britain

Is this the 'beast' of Essex ? Of course not...

2011-08-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

For more info on another bad 'big cat' photo, visit Kent Big Cat Research

Talk: Mystery Animals of Kent & London

2011-08-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday 25th October 2011 at 7:30 pm Neil Arnold will be conducting a talk on MYSTERY ANIMALS OF KENT & LONDON at Rochester's Eastgate House (located in the High Street), tickets can be obtained by phoning the Archives Centre on 01634 332714

Juvenile Amur leopard cat found in London!

2011-07-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

When a lynx was found roaming a back garden in North London in 2001 there was still scepticism despite the fact the animal was tranquilised and stransfered to a zoo in France. In 2011 a juvenile Amur leopard cat was found in London too. The story was covered on ITV1's Wildlife Patrol and mentioned in the press. The City of London site stating:

'22 February 2011

Stray leopard cat finds shelter at Heathrow Animal Reception Centre
A stray Amur leopard cat has been given a temporary new home at the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, which is owned and managed by the City of London Corporation.
The cat, scientific name Prionailurus bengalensis euptilura, was taken in by the HARC after it had initially been handed to Battersea Dogs Home by a member of the public from Chiswick.
Concerned that it was not a normal domestic breed, Battersea Dogs Home passed the animal over to the HARC where it was identified by staff as the Amur leopard cat. This species, more commonly found in Russia and Asia, requires a licence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
Rob Quest, Manager at the HARC, said: "We've welcomed almost every sort of creature here in the centre's 33-year history – with the exception of a giraffe. This Amur leopard cat will receive the best care we have to offer before a new home can be found."
At the suggestion of Deborah Bradfield, animal health inspector at the HARC, re-homing responsibility for the cat will now be passed over to the Specialist Wildlife Services, who have found new homes for many exotic animals for The City of London and Customs at Heathrow Airport. They are members of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquaria and hold all the appropriate licences for animal transport.'

The cat was transferred to a zoo in Scotland after it was detained at the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre.

The BBC website of March 15th commented, 'A dangerous species of cat found in London has been rehomed to a wildlife conservation centre in southern Scotland.

The Amur leopard cat, more commonly found in Russia and Asia, requires a licence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act. It was taken to the Heathrow animal reception centre last month after being handed in to Battersea Dogs Home.
It has now been transferred to the Galloway Wildlife Conservation Centre.Conservation manager John Denerley said the female cat was settling in well.
"We've welcomed the Amur leopard cat here, we had one before," he said.
"This cat receives the best care we offer.She is young and was a bit nervous, so she has to acclimatise to her enclosure and it will take a few days before she can explore the whole area."

Big cat sightings...

2011-07-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

Over the last few days there have been a spate of black leopard sightings, mainly around Petts Wood, Orpington and Bromley, in one incident resulting in a fox being eaten. This is possibly the same animal that has been seen around Sydenham, Dulwich etc.

Cover shot of the upcoming MYSTERY ANIMALS OF...LONDON book

2011-07-13T05:34:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested, and who have been following this blog, very shortly my new book MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON will be published by CFZ Press. Weighing it an almost 400 pages MYSTERY ANIMALS...LONDON is an essential read for anyone interested in strange animals which have been seen around the capital, or beasts which have escaped from zoo parks and private menageries, as well as folkloric 'monsters'. As a teaser here is a photo of the cover:

Was a fairy photographed in a Croydon back garden ?

2011-07-06T05:59:00.001-07:00

Of course not, but some people thought so! Read more at the Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211845/Croydon-Tinker-Bell--fairies-the-garden.html

Do you remember when a lynx was caught in a London back garden ?

2011-06-10T05:34:00.000-07:00

Find out more here: http://kentbigcats.blogspot.com/2011/06/from-files-london-lynx.html

Mutant turtles terrorising London ponds

2011-06-09T11:54:00.001-07:00

Evening Standard

25 May 2011

Hybrid turtles are taking hold of London's parks and ponds.
Experts studying 1,600 square kilometres of London and the home counties were shocked to find 10 species and several hybrids. They even found rare African turtles in a Camden park.
Despite culls, numbers are growing. Tom Langton of the London Natural History Society said: "We found a big increase in the sightings of terrapins, a type of turtle popular in the Eighties due to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cartoon series."
A government ban in 1997 has led to "lookalike" species being sold cheaply in pet shops. Mr Langton said he hoped all terrapins would be banned in the UK.

Thames fish die due to sewage

2011-06-09T10:29:00.001-07:00

http://cryptozoologynews.blogspot.com/2011/06/thousands-of-river-thames-fish-killed.html

Red eyes...

2011-06-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

Issue 6 of Encounters magazine, from April 1996 features a letter from a woman named Melissa. Melissa, who lived in London, claimed to have had several experiences with 'elemenatals', strange entities who she was able to communicate with and eventually grow unafraid of. However, Melissa's first ever encounter with one of these apparitions took place on a November night in 1995. She wrote, '...a friend and I were at the local park late at night. It is hard to describe in great detail these events as they seem so dim now (strange, considering the encounter only took place a few months previous). Just outside the gate to the park is an old tree, half living, half dead (surely it can only be one or the other!). We both sensed something bad coming from the tree and felt that somehow it was watching us. After returning to my friend's home, I revisited the tree through meditation and experienced something which to this day I cannot positively say was not simply my imagination. I was at the foot of the tree looking upwards towards the top branches. There was something there staring at me. I cannot put a name to what I saw, but it was a black mass, with two bright red eyes. The following month both my friend and I saw similar entities, although never again the one at the tree. Late one evening, on returning home from work my friend witnessed what he describes as an army marching up the hill, from the park towards his home. The army consisted of hundreds of entities approximately seven feet in height wearing long hooded black cloaks with visible blood red eyes. This reminded me of the entity I had seen before.'

Charlton's hairy hands!

2011-06-09T09:03:00.000-07:00

In Issue 5 (March 1996) of Encounters magazine (no longer in existence) there is an interesting story concerning a strange creature from the Charlton area. Under the heading 'The Beast Is Back' the magazine featured the following tale: 'This story was in to us by a gentleman in south east London, who was jolted into writing to us as a result of reading a previous readers' story about the same encounter - "Reading your story entitled 'Suffer The Children', sent shivers down my spine. It reminded me of something I encountered in the early 1970s when I was about seven years old. I lived with my mother and baby brother in a council flat in Charlton, London. Myself and my brother were sharing a small bedroom together. It was night-time and I can remember my baby brother being asleep in his cot when the experience happened. Over the top of my headboard appeared a hand, it was dark brown, very hairy, and had long claw-like finger nails. It was definitely not a human hand. I can remember pulling my covers right up over my head, praying silently for morning to come. I spent the whole night awake, and I could not utter a sound but remember dearly wishing that my brother would wake up and cry so someone would hear him. To this day I don't know what it was that I saw, but I do know that I would not like to see it again. Now I always sleep with the covers pulled tightly over my head, and I always pray. I do wonder if it was the same apparition that your other reader saw ? An alien type of werewolf ?"

MYSTERY ANIMALS OF...LONDON: THE BOOK...COMING SOON

2011-06-03T05:33:00.000-07:00

For those of you interested my book, MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: LONDON, will be published hopefully within the next couple of months. Please check back and updates will follow. The book, at over 300 pages, focuses on 'big cat' sightings around London - some myth, some reality, and looks back at the history of those who kept such animals. The book also looks at strange animals kept in menagerie's as well as sightings of exotic species in London's waterways - the River Thames being one haven for unusual wildlife. There is also a chapter on sightings of strange birds in the skies over the capital, and also a chapter on London's monstrous folklore with reports of hellhounds, phantom animals etc.

Was it the Surrey puma ?

2011-06-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

At the end of May 2011 a woman jogging in woods near her home in Dorking, Surrey got the fright of her life when a large animal leaped down from a tree behind her. The animal, which made a thud as it his the woodland path, was nowhere to be seen, but the woman was so spooked she immediately rang her husband to tell him she was in danger. Further investigations revealed that whatever had leaped from the tree had left large paw prints on the ground.

Neil Arnold interviewed at CFZ Australia

2011-05-31T15:12:00.001-07:00

http://www.cfzaustralia.com/2011/05/meet-cryptozoologist-neil-arnold.html

Black leopard seen near Heathrow

2011-04-21T15:39:00.001-07:00

On Sunday 16th April two fisherman travelling anti-clockwise on the M25 between junctions 11 - 12 saw an enormous large cat in a field 300 yards from the road. The cat was around four-feet in length and had an extremely long tail.

Did a big cat roam Enfield in 2010 ?

2011-04-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

The following email was received from an Enfield resident:

'Hi, the animal was jet black about the size of rottweiler dog it was seen at about 25-30 yards from the 2nd floor at 3:30am 10/06/2010. 10-15 seconds, I was not sure until it walked under a street light it walked slowly.l'm 100 sure it was cat as it got closer I was more sure,please could you inform me of any previous or new sightings in enfield or north london the cat was seen at lower kenwood avenue en2 roundabout.'

Big cat sighting at Brockley ?

2011-03-31T09:34:00.001-07:00

'I live in Brockley in SE4, London. Our garden backs onto undergrowth and the train line South East.

On Thursday night (24th March) my partner noticed a large black shape at the end of our garden making a strange growl as my domestic cat Peach was freaking out looking at it from the window. He went outside only for the creature to have gone rather quickly.

I returned home later on and opened the back door to the garden (It was the first nice evening we'd had) and I obviously startled the creature again and it ran away, clearing three or so garden fences in a matter of seconds. Very heavy footed, claws audible and the strength of the thing evident. We startle foxes and other cats all the time and none of them moved in the way this one did. It was remarkably quick and powerful.'

Rare blue butterfly in Sutton scuppers playground plans

2011-02-18T13:53:00.001-08:00

Black leopard seen twice at Anerley

2011-02-10T05:30:00.000-08:00

Anerley, situated in the Bromley district, may well be the prowling ground of what the local press incorrectly dubbed 'the Palace puma'. Recently a ten-year old girl, whilst getting ready for school at 7:25 am, peered from her bedroom window and was shocked to see an enormous cat, black in colour, with a long, thick tail walking along a fence line. The girl saw the animal again a week or so later whilst in her mother's car. They drove into a parking area at 6:30 pm one evening, in the vicinity of their house, when the girl glimpsed the cat slink down a slope. She stated that the animal was bigger than a Labrador dog.

Possible cat scat (or owl pellets) near Crystal Palace, Winter 2010

2011-01-27T07:14:00.000-08:00

A Seal Shot In The Thames

2010-12-08T03:48:00.000-08:00

From THE FIELD magazine of January 3rd 1857 : A few days ago, the attendant on the boats at the Feathers, Wandsworth, shot a large seal in the Thames, near the above place. It is a beautiful specimen of the species, and is the only one of the kind that has been seen by anyone of the Thames fishermen above bridge. It measures four-feet in length, two-feet one-inch in breadth, and is two-feet three-inches in girth. The fish may be seen at Mr H. Salter's, the Feather's Tavern, Wandsworth

Whales and other strange creatures in the River Thames

2010-12-08T00:55:00.001-08:00

In 2011 my book Mystery Animals Of The British Isles: London will hopefully be published by CFZ Press. As a teaser for what I can only describe as the best book I’ve ever written, here are a few weird accounts of unusual animals in the River Thames.

From The Kentish Notebook by G. Howell of 1891 in reference to an appeal for whale sightings in the stretch of river, a chap named ‘Bookworm’ responds, ‘’Whales In The Thames (Sept. 12th 1891) – I can assure “T.C.U.” that the whale is no uncommon visitor to our River, for numerous records, both ancient and modern, testify to the fact of its appearance at different times. I have made a brief compilation, from various sources, of the discovery of whales and other monsters in the Thames, which may interest “T.C.U.”:

1457 – In this year a considerable commotion took place, caused by several whales in the river. After considerable trouble two of them were caught off Erith, together with a sword-fish, and a fish called a Mors Marina.

1642 – On July of this year a “terrible monster” was caught by “a fisherman near Wollage (Woolwich”, and afterwards exhibited at Westminster. A tract published at the time informs us that the monster “is like a toad, and may be called a Toad-Fish; but that which makes it a monster is, that it hath hands with fingers like a man, being neere five-foot long and three-feet over, the thicknesse of an ordinary man.”

1699 – On the twenty-sixth of March, after an extraordinary storm, there came up the Thames a whale 56-feet long.

1718 – On August 30, great excitement occurred among the waterside inhabitants of Gravesend, in consequence of a whale forty-feet long being captured just below the town.

1746 – On the 25th of July a young whale came up the river and was killed near Execution Dock, after having sunk three boats; it measured 18 feet in length.

1762 – In February a whale was caught in the Hope and after being chased by the boats, some time it was secured and killed by digging holes in it. It was fifty-four feet long and 14-feet broad, and was landed on the shore by Greendland Dock, near Deptford. No doubt the Watermen found plenty of employment, as an immense number of people visited it by land and water. It was computed that on the first day, Sunday, upwards of fifty thousand visitors inspected it.

1809 – “On the 25th March, a whale 75-feet long and 25-feet in circumference, was wounded and driven on shore off the Bligh Sands below Gravesend, by a pilot named Barnes. It weighed upwards of thirty tons. The Lord Mayor ordered it to be removed in a barge above the bridge, when it was exhibited at one shilling per head, until the officers of the admiralty claimed it as a droit, and forcibly took possession. The blubber was valued at one hundred and fifty pounds.”

1842 – In November a whale was caught off Deptford pier, 16 feet long weighting two tons. It was purchased by three individuals, and exhibited there for some time. It was afterwards shewn at the half Moon Inn, Boro’, where 2,000 persons paid for admission in one day. On being dissected, the skeleton was taken to the British Museum.

1849 – A whale 21-feet long, was taken in this year off Grays, in Essex.

Neil Arnold, in conjunction with Time Out magazine - An Autumn Monster Walk

2010-11-14T11:11:00.000-08:00

For Halloween 2010 Time Out magazine ran an article on monster folklore around the capital. Neil Arnold was consulted and the magazine put togetehr a brief walk through the city streets to tie in with various locatiosn where monsters and strange creatures had been seen in the past. To find out more, read about it at TIME OUT

Spring-Heeled Jack - a monster for the milliennium ?

2010-11-11T05:42:00.000-08:00

Volume Three of It Happened To Me ( a booklet compiled by the editor's of Fortean Times magazine) mentions a peculiar incident reported by a 'Kevin' from 2003 pertaining to a possible modern-day encounter with the fabled Spring-Heeeled Jack. To quote:

'I was making my way to Faringdon train station after having spent an evening out with friends in the Clerkenwell area of London. Not knowing the place very well, I got a bit lost and ended up walking the streets, looking for someone to ask directions. London seemed strangely deserted that night and I freely admit I was starting to worry, about missing my train home more than anything else, but I also had the feeling of unease you only get if you are totally unfamiliar with your surroundings.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a darting figure and turned instinctively to look. The alley was lit sporadically by old-fashioned street lamps, and it was behind one of these lamps that I thought I could make out the shape of a figure trying to conceal himself. I pondered for a second on what it could be. I decided I would react to it in the traditional English manner - avert my gaze and pretend nothing was happening. As I was putting this plan into action, I heard a burst of shrill laughter. I turned to face the alleyway once more. Coming toward me in great lolloping movements was a tall, thin figure. It moved silently and was dressed in what looked like tight black leather. I could not make out its face, but i was transfixed by this apparition. It moved as if it were dancing in reverse, coming closer toward me, moving like a giant strong puppet. Just as I gathered my wits enough to run, it issued another ear-piercing laugh, crouched on the ground, then shot off upwards out of my view. I did not try to see where it had leapt to - I ran as fast as I could until I found a main road. I followed the main road to the station and only just got the train home. I have no idea what it was - probably a practical joke of some kind. However, a search on the Internet the next day brought up the name Spring-Heeled Jack, not seen in London since the Victorian era,'

Neil Arnold interviewed for London's Wharf magazine

2010-10-30T16:52:00.001-07:00

Read the interview about Neil's monster-hunting and new PARANORMAL LONDON book HERE

London's spectral bears...

2010-09-15T02:40:00.000-07:00

Issue 52 of PARANORMAL MAGAZINE has an article from Neil Arnold on ghostly bears, including those seen in the Tower of London and around Chelsea. Magazine available from all good newsagent's or by visiting: www.paranormalmagazine.co.uk

Piranha caught in the Thames!

2010-08-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

Read all about it HERE

Strange creature in the Thames ?

2010-08-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

Nick Redfern, in 2007 covered a brief story, with photo, of an alleged mystery creature photographed swimming in the Thames. It's most likely to be a piece of driftwod, but interesting all the same. See the photo HERE

Paranormal About delve into the mystery of Mr Davys 'monster'!

2010-08-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

PARANORMAL ABOUT is a website which often looks at varying strange phenomena, from monsters, to UFOs, and ghosts. HERE they look at a creature Neil Arnold has written about in articles and in PARANORMAL LONDON, his new book from The History Press, available on Amazon.

Little London Observationist interviews Neil Arnold...

2010-07-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

http://littlelondonobservationist.wordpress.com/2010/07/17/listen-to-a-londoner-neil-arnold/

PARANORMAL LONDON - OUT NOW!

2010-06-30T08:57:00.001-07:00

Roll up, roll up for the magical mystery monster tour...step right this way for a surreal and supernatural safari through the concrete jungle.

Neil Arnold's new book, 'Paranormal London' is OUT NOW. Published by The History Press, this collection of obscure, chilling and monstrous tales features a menagerie of phantom animals, from hellhounds, to ghostly cats and birds, spectral ape's, and ethereal bears. Relive the horror of Hackney Marshes, or come and visit Mr Davy's monster. Peer in at the London mermaid, or howl in terror at the wolf of Clapham Common.

And then we have the tales pertaining to 'big cats' on the loose...the Surrey puma, the Sydenham leopard, the Cricklewood lynx, the Edgware tiger and the lioness of Winchmore Hill.

And it gets weirder...flying jellyfish on Wimbledon Common ? Forget The Wombles!

An angel on the Thames, UFOs, ghostly goings on, dancing coals, fish falling from the sky, pennies from Heaven, and those ghastly, sinister phantom assailants such as Spring Heeled Jack, the London Monster, the Hammermsith spook and the phantom wall smasher. And what about vampires ? Oh yes, they are here too. The Highgate vampire, a tall, red-eyed spectre responsible for mass hysteria in the 1960s at Highgate's Gothic cemetery.

'PARANORMAL LONDON' is a highly original look at London's weirder side...a side where the wild things are.

Available from all good book shops, Amazon, or direct from The History Press

Buy your copy now and see London in a different light....

Crows attack woman in Catford

2010-06-12T06:09:00.000-07:00

From the Newsshopper:

An elderly dancer is the latest person who has fallen victim to an horrific crow attack. Last month, News Shopper revealed how blonde joggers in an Eltham Park were being terrorised by a crow. Now 75-year-old great-grandmother Edna Lunt, of Nelgarde Road, Catford, has revealed how she was recently attacked by a bloodthirsty bird in her own garden.She said: “I pulled my sunchair towards the light. As I sat down on it, it tipped up backwards. “While my legs were up in the air this crow came down and started dive-bombing me and making screeching noises. “It was like a horror movie.“I got up and started running. I shouted ‘It’s after me,’ and then I fell in the flower bed.” Edna Lunt said: "I was relieved I hadn't lost my beans" Mrs Lunt, a keen dancer and former actress, sprained her ankle but managed tolimp back inside her house to escape. She said: “Scared would be an understatement. I had to pour myself a brandy. “It was determined to have a peck at me and it wouldn’t go away. After I went inside, it flew on the roof and just stayed there, waiting.”Mrs Lunt admits the attack made her doubt her own sanity.She said: “I was relieved when I saw the News Shopper story and realised I hadn’t lost my beans.” Edna Lunt's injuries News Shopper has also received reports of a crow targeting staff at a car park beside Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich. One victim, blonde hospital ward clerk Irene Wade, was divebombed and even pursued into the hospital building.She said: “It was emitting an awful croaking noise and seemed to be doing it more as it followed me. I was scared stiff.”

A snake story...

2010-05-14T09:58:00.001-07:00

Researcher Richard Muirhead, whilst scanning the archives sent the following:

Manchester Iris volume 2 June 14th 1823 p.195

VARIETIES.

A SNAKE IN A WATER-BUTT IN THE METROPOLIS-

On the 28th ult. Was discovered in a water-butt, in the house of Mr James Robertson, Old North-street,Red Lion-square, a large snake, three feet in length,of the common kind, which was seen swimming in the water with its head partly out: on its being touched, it made a disagreeable hissing noise until it was killed. What makes this occurrence very extraordinary is,the manner in which the snake found its way into the water-butt, which cannot be accounted for, unless came through the pipe that conveys the water from the New-river, in which case it must have come a distance of nearly two miles out of its own natural element. In other respects the water-butt is so situated (being surrounded by a wall nearly ten feet high) that all idea of the snake gaining access from any other quarter is precluded.

If 'big cats' are myths....

2010-04-11T13:34:00.001-07:00

After the statement from organisation NATURAL ENGLAND that all big cats are "a myth", it's interesting to note that in March 2010, Kent Big Cat Research received twenty-seven reports of large, exotic cats throughout the county. This suggests of course that either every witness is hallucinating, or NATURAL ENGLAND are completely wrong.

In March 2010 there were sightings from Blue Bell Hill, Lordswood, Densole, Lenham, Canterbury, and Ashford. These mainly concerned reports of black leopard, the most recent coming from a Jules C, who on March 25th at 8:00 am, whilst on a train from Ebbsfleet to Canterbury, stated that, "..on the other side of the tunnel between Boxley and Blue Bell Hill, near train track I saw a big, black cat from a short distance. It resembled a black leopard."

In early March a black leopard was observed by a male motorist, a Mr Wright and his girlfriend. At 6:00 am they travelled down North Dane Way in Lordswood in the Medway Towns and saw a big black cat bound towards the undergrowth. Mr Wright was convinced it was a black leopard as he'd seen a similar one in 2000 in Hempstead.

On march 12th a woman named Anne observed a black leopard in a field at Lenham, near Maidstone. It was 2:15 pm as she travelled on the M20 London bound and saw the cat which she described as being, "very long in the body".
On March 10th a lady named Eve saw a black leopard whilst travelling on a train between Canterbury and Selling.

Cats such as the leopard use railway lines not only for navigation but of a night they provide perfect food and there is a lot of shelter in these areas.
During the same month there were two sightings of a black leopard made by a Jason Roberts from Reinden Woods in Densole.

In 2010 Kent Big Cat Research has already received seventy-three reports of large cats. On 2nd January a member of an angling society from Marden was walking along a field at 4:15 pm when a big, black cat bounded across the field fifty yards away. The cat was around five-feet in length.The witness was quite shocked by the appearnce of the animal as he never previously believed such animals existed.

Five days later a Mr Head reported to police a big black cat which he observed whilst sitting on a train at Swanley station at 9:00 am. The witness noticed a creature on the embankment opposite the Kent bound platform. As people began to move along the platform the cat crouched low. It had piercing green eyes.

The following day on the 8th a black leopard was seen at Pheonix Place in Dartford and on the 15th January a Mr Jackson observed a massive black cat at Shottenden. The sighting took place at 2:15 pm as the animal walked into a field around fifteen yards away. On 31st January a black leopard was observed by a couple in Meopham who were sceptical to such sightings. It was 2:00 pm when they spotted a big black cat on a woodland path which sauntered off into the woods.

In February 2010 there were numerous sightings around Canterbury and Ashford. A black leopard ran out in front of a vehicle near Wye on the 20th at 6:00pm, there were also several sightings from Sevenoaks of a black leopard. In April there were sightings of lynx from Sussex and Romney Marsh, puma from Canterbury and Dover, and black leopard at Hawkinge, Gravesend, and near Bromley and Bexley.

Maybe NATURAL ENGLAND, if they admit to such animals roaming the wilds, would have to re-name themselves UNNATURAL ENGLAND! Sightings date back across Surrey, Kent, and Sussex to the 1500s. A majority of animals sighted in the countryside are not connected to zoo escapee's as the organisation stated. Hundreds of puma and leopards, mainly cubs, were released in the 1960s and '70s and what we are now seeing are their offspring. Also, previous centuries prove that animals escaped and were released from menageries. In 2007 Neil Arnold wrote a 400 page book, MYSTERY ANIMALS OF THE BRITISH ISLES: KENT, a result of his twenty years of research into such animals. Proof that such animals are reported quite regularly across the south-east.

How many strange, and rash statement's will these organisations issue over the next few years ? If some organisations refuse to believe in such animals, it may be wiser to not issue any statements whatsoever. With their type od scepticism is it any wonder that NATURAL ENGLAND and similar groups only receive a handful of reports each year. The vicious circle of repetition continues...

Coming Soon..to a bookshop near you!

2010-04-06T13:00:00.000-07:00

They say that in London you're never more than five-feet away from a rat...but after reading PARANORMAL LONDON rats will be the last thing on your mind!

Mysterious 'big cats', phantom assailants, UFOs, high strangeness, Hampstead's spectral ape, ghastly hellhounds, monsters on the London Underground, bizarre beasts, flying jellyfish, ghostly horses, the Highgate 'vampire', hair ripper's and skirt snipper's, buttock slashers and whip crackers, Spring-Heeled Jack, phantom airships, the Devil in Mayfair, raining fish, phantom stone throwers, ghostly bears...many previously unpublished stories, obscure, baffling and weird.

PARANORMAL LONDON....where the weird and wild things are!Coming soon, available from Amazon, and all good book stores....

The SATURDAY STRANGENESS

2010-02-17T06:27:00.000-08:00

Neil Arnold's long running series THE SATURDAY STRANGENESS, which Londonist have featured for more almost 140 episodes, is coming to a close. However, fear not...all will be resumed on this very website....stay tuned.

The Surrey puma...

2010-02-17T06:21:00.000-08:00

For several decades, the legend of the Surrey puma has existed. The mystery animal, alongside the 'beast' of Exmoor', has become the most famous 'big cat' said to roam the English countryside. Thousands of sightings have been recorded since the 1950s, although there are a few which date back even further...centuries further. The reports still persist, despite the fact the tale has become something more akin to an urban legend. However, despite the theories and investigations, there is now a website devoted to the sightings and the legend. SURREY BIG CAT RESEARCH is the work of full-time researcher and author Neil Arnold, who for twenty years has investigated and collated reports of 'big cats' in the countryside. The website will chronicle hundreds of sightings, featuring old press reports to modern eye-witness accounts.

Stay tuned...

An extraterrestrial, and beastly event...

2010-02-05T04:28:00.001-08:00

On Saturday 6th March a small conference will be held in London showcasing the expertise of UFO researcher Nick Pope, Loch Ness Monster investigator Adrian Shine, and Bigfoot expert Paul Vella. For more details of location, time, entry fee, click HERE

The murderous bird of Lincoln's Inn

2010-01-02T12:32:00.000-08:00

Neil's latest episode of THE SATURDAY STRANGENESS looks at a spooky mystery.

Neil Arnold in the CFZ hot-seat!

2009-12-24T07:32:00.000-08:00

Neil Arnold is asked five cryptozoology-related questions by the CFZ's Oll Lewis. Read it HERE

West Dulwich cat encounter covered by This Is Local London

2009-12-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

The recent inaccuracies reported by the press in regards to Roger Fleming's 'big cat' encounter, continue courtesy of THIS IS LOCAL LONDON

Soho's bird of death.

2009-12-19T08:30:00.001-08:00

Neil's latest Saturday Strangeness investigates a phantasmal creature from 1940s London.

Big cat chases jogger...is the 'beast' of Sydenham back ?

2009-12-15T07:15:00.000-08:00

From the NEWSSHOPPER December 14th 2009:

A JOGGER was forced to run for his life after encountering the infamous Beast of Sydenham.
Father-of-four Roger Fleming, 40, was on a late night run with his puppy King on December 9 near Sydenham Hill station when a giant cat chased them through Dulwich Wood.
Mr Fleming believes the creature, which he says looked like a brown cheetah, was the Beast of Sydenham, seen several times in the area over the years.The building services manager first saw the beast at the bottom of a path in the wood.
He said: “It was at least five or six feet long.“I thought to myself ‘what the hell is this?’ That’s when the panic set in.“It sat there, locked its eyes on to me, sat up and - boom - it started running towards us.”
Mr Fleming grabbed hold of his Staffordshire bull terrier and ran through the wood. He said: “I looked over my shoulder and could see it still running at me.“I was just thinking ‘please stop’. It was knackering and I was almost ready to give up.“I was thinking ‘this is it - I think I’m going to die’.”
After realising the beast had given up the chase, Mr Fleming rushed home to Dulwich and read about other sightings on the News Shopper website.He said: “When I got home I was almost in tears the adrenalin was pumping through me so fast.“I swear an oath to God never to go to that same part at night again.“There should be signs telling people to take some caution because they’re walking around willy-nilly.”
Neil Arnold, a researcher who runs KENT BIG CAT RESEARCH said the beast is believed to be a black leopard, the offspring of pets released into the wild.He said: “He should have stood his ground, maintained eye contact and backed off slowly - but it’s easy to say that.“People don’t need to panic because big cats won’t harm them.“I do this full-time to let people know that these animals aren’t a threat.”

A shark in the River Thames ?

2009-12-13T12:10:00.000-08:00

The latest from Neil's SATURDAY STRANGENESS column.

Beware the Stick Man

2009-11-28T08:32:00.001-08:00

The latest episode of the SATURDAY STRANGENESS visits Brockley.

Neil to appear on COAST TO COAST AM radio

2009-11-26T03:42:00.000-08:00

At 6:00 am (UK time - December 1st) - 11:30 pm (US time - November 30th) Neil be appearing on COAST TO COAST AM RADIO discussing his research into monsters and sinister folklore. COAST TO COAST AM is presented by George Noory and receives over four-million listeners, covering 500 radio stations.
You can link to the show HERE

Neil interviewed at THE LONDON WORD

2009-11-24T07:10:00.001-08:00

Neil discusses his research and many strange creatures, from vampires to 'big cats', at THE LONDON WORD

More London 'big cat' sightings!

2009-11-01T04:30:00.001-08:00

Neil's latest episode of the SATURDAY STRANGENESS

Thylacine in London ?

2009-10-25T06:01:00.001-07:00

Of course not, but Neil's latest episode of the SATURDAY STRANGENESS looks at some of the more cryptozoological creatures housed at London's Natural History Museum, including a stuffed Tasmanian Tiger.

Beast of Catford!

2009-10-25T05:26:00.001-07:00

Overat the Sydenham Town Forum, a woman named Coral on 16th October 2009 reported the following:

'A month ago whilst walking home along Datchet Road, Catford between 22.00 and 22.30hrs I saw what appeared to be a big cat. It was strolling between cars and front pathways of houses. I had no idea of previously reported sightings of black panthers and such like until my daughter later informed me of such. It was not black but more a brownish colour. The height was about 2 - 3ft high, thin body frame and it's fur was much shorter than a pet cat. The head was definetly that of the cat family. Make no mistake about it all you doubting Thomas's out there, a big Cat is definetly at large in the borders of Catford/Sydenham.'

South-east London mystery cats...

2009-10-25T05:04:00.000-07:00

Over at the Centre for Fortean Zoology daily blog, researcher Richard Muirhead looks into the recent sightings of exotic cats around areas such as Sydenham, Catford etc. Read it HERE

Neil Arnold in CHAT! Magazine

2009-10-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

The current issue of CHAT! Magazine (Isue 43, Oct' 29th - pages 40-41) features an article on Neil Arnold pertaining to his monster-hunting.

Neil's giving a talk at The London Ghost Fest October 30th 2009

2009-10-09T10:45:00.001-07:00

Neil Arnold will be giving a talk on strange creatures such as vampires, at The London Ghost Fest, on 30th October 2009. For more details link HERE

Capybara sightings in Barnet.

2009-10-07T10:22:00.000-07:00

There have been several sightings of a strange animal around Barnet. Could a Capybara be on the loose ? Time Series goes in search HERE

Did 'big cat' eat domestic cat ?

2009-09-30T13:48:00.000-07:00

Left, one of several photo's taken by Sara Hill of eaten domestic cat.

SYDENHAM: Panther could be to blame for 'savage' death of pet cat
3:50pm Monday 28th September 2009
By Dan Keel

A PANTHER is feared to be on the loose after a mother-of-three stumbled across a pet cat which had been "savaged" and eaten.
Sara Hill, 32, made the grim discovery on Saturday during her daily walk around Sydenham's Southend Park with her two dogs and eight-month-old son, Archie.
A cat, still wearing its collar, was lying in the middle of a footpath and had been stripped of its fur, skin and flesh. Only its head and feet remained untouched.
The horse groomer who lives in Bellingham, said: "As I walked up to it I thought it was an old jumper - but then as I got closer I suddenly realised what it was.
"It's one of the most horrific things I've seen. I am a country girl and have seen a lot of dead animals and have plucked chickens - but I wasn't prepared for this.
"The poor thing had been completely savaged. There is no way a dog did it, as it would have been ripped apart. And a fox would have taken it away."
Miss Hill sent News Shopper some photos of the body which can be seen by clicking on the link below.
We passed them to full-time big cat researcher Neil Arnold, who has been studying cat sightings in the area for more than 20 years.
He said: "It looks very much like a large cat would carry out this type of kill, especially when comparing it to other kills I've examined over the years.
"The main animal seen around Sydenham, Penge, Norwood and Bromley is a black leopard - or panther.
"I've seen a black leopard three times locally, and have evidence such as livestock kills, faeces and paw-prints. But kills of animals are the best evidence."
He added: "When a leopard kills, it kills only to eat, to survive, and will rasp away fur with a sandpaper like tongue leaving a very clean kill.
"Domestic cats are on the menu although preferred prey is pigeon, pheasant, rabbit, rats, mice, and also larger prey such as deer and sheep.
"A black leopard mainly hunts at night and a cat seen around Sydenham could also travel to Sidcup, Welling, Dartford, via Orpington, Sidcup, Crayford, Hayes - all areas where a black leopard has been seen."
Mr Arnold also said black leopards are no threat to humans unless cornered, provoked or injured.

Is this a photo of the 'Palace' puma/panther ? (OF COURSE NOT!!)

2009-09-25T13:26:00.000-07:00

Recently there has been more ludicrous coverage of the 'Palace puma', and things have taken a turn for the worse with this photo, taken by Leia Mazur, allegedly showing a 'big black cat'. Of course, the photo shows a domestic cat and nothing more. It's rather sad that the story made the local Streatham Guardian newspaper, read HERE for the full pointless story.

The 'Palace puma'...

2009-09-19T08:39:00.000-07:00

Neil clears up the facts and fiction of the latest London 'big cat' sighting, at his latest episode of the SATURDAY STRANGENESS

Neil Arnold in the KENTISH TIMES

2009-09-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

Neil discusses his full-time research into 'big cat' sightings and their evidence, with the KENTISH TIMES.

Humpback whale stranded on banks of River Thames

2009-09-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Story from the DARTFORD TIMES

Now they're saying Crystal Palace 'big cat' is just a dog!!

2009-09-16T05:28:00.000-07:00

From the Croydon Guardian. Where do they get these people from !?

Red panda escapes enclosure at London zoo.

2009-09-16T05:18:00.001-07:00

From the BBC

More London 'mermaids'...

2009-09-13T05:29:00.000-07:00

Neil's latest SATURDAY STRANGENESS

Fortean Times comic strip

2009-09-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

The latest issue of Fortean Times magazine features an excellent comic-strip by resident artist Hunt Emerson, in reference to the colourful characters who attended this years 'Weird Weekend' at Devon. Neil Arnold can be seen tight of centre next to Goth ringmaster Richard Freeman!

Now, it's the 'beast of Bromley'!!

2009-09-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

With recent sightings of the so-called 'Palace Puma' on the rise, two teenagers have come forward to report on their recent encounter, but in the Bromley area. The story courtesy of the Newsshopper.

Is this the beast of Crystal Palace ?

2009-09-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

Of course not, but it's a nice, comical edge to the mystery, courtesy of the Transmitter blog HERE

Beast of Ongar on prowl again ?

2009-09-04T10:12:00.001-07:00

Story from the Epping Forest Guardian

Ruislip beast keeps witnesses on alert...

2009-09-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

More from the June 2009 panic concerning a possible coyote sighting. HERE

More west-London weirdness...

2009-09-04T10:05:00.000-07:00

What mysterious creature is roaming Ruislip ? Find out HERE

What lurks in Uxbridge ?

2009-09-04T10:01:00.000-07:00

Sightings of coyote's, wolf-like creatures and dingo's ? Whatever next ? The Uxbridge Gazette goes on the trail HERE

Strange Bird-Like Creature Seen in Piccadilly.

2009-09-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

Strange but true ? Another weird tale from The London Chronicle.

Written by Administrator
Friday, 14 July 2006
Strange Bird-like Creature Seen in Piccadilly.

Circus noted photographer Lance McDurmont, who has been working on a photographic tour of London, when he was struck down violently by an animal of unknown origin. Just before passing out he was able to capture a photo of the creature, however damage to the camera has caused it to come out blurred and barely visible. While there have not been any official copies of the photograph released to the public, it is said to be of a "avian nature with hawk-like claws". Mr. McDurmont is currently hospitalized, but is in stable condition. Doctors believe he will be able to make a full recovery within a week.

Beast of the Depths Strikes Again.

2009-09-04T09:51:00.000-07:00

From The London Chronicle this bizarre tale:

Beast of the Depths Strikes Again

Written by Administrator
Saturday, 12 August 2006

Beast of the Depths Strikes Again.

Another sewer worker has disappeared leading to more reports of a deadly creature in the sewers of London. Paddy Patterson, an employee of Thames Water, was working on a pipe repair when he failed to report back in after his shift. A search party is underway. He is the third person to vanish after venturing into the sewers of London.

For some months now there has been rumours spreading over the 'Beast of the Depths' and it's possible involvement in the disappearances. No one has ever confirmed the existence of the creature however theories and sketches can be found all over the internet. Many of the pictures show the creature as having a long extended snake-like body, a huge gaping maw and long fangs.
Thames Water have denied the presence of any living creature in the sewers. A spokesman for the company stated 'We have carried out extensive surveys of the sewer tunnels in the vicinity of the reported incidents but have found no evidence that the so called Beast of the Depths exists.' However, no explanation has yet been provided for the disappearances. Until the mystery is resolved, the Beast of the Depths lives on.

The Croydon Guardian leap onto the beastly bandwagon!

2009-09-04T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Newsshopper get their knickers in a twist over the 'Palace Puma'.

2009-09-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

Despite sightings of large, exotic cats being reported to local press for many years, it's a tragedy that the facts are often waylaid in the need for sensationalism - even more bizarre when you consider that the facts are far stranger than the fiction created! Scott Mullins, reporter with the Newsshopper went on the track of the Palace puma, even though the animal in question isn't a puma, and it had nothing to do with Crystal Palace! The confusion can be read HERE

The 'Palace' puma hunt is on...

2009-09-04T06:42:00.001-07:00

From the DARTFORD TIMES

The 'monkey' of Bexley!

2009-08-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

This report came in from a woman named Liz:

'I think I saw a monkey run across the road in front of me this morning (11th August 2009) as I was driving from Bexley to Bexleyheath.

It was a sort of greeney, browny stone colour with hanging fur from its skinny limbs and it ran across the road with a slightly sideways skip on back legs and one front leg. It didn’t move like a cat but it was so quick that it had gone before I was aware what was happening. I looked down the drive of the house it had run towards but of course saw nothing. It wasn’t very big, sort of large cat sized but would probably be about 20 – 24 inches tall had it been standing.'

The Disembodied Roar...

2009-08-10T09:37:00.000-07:00

Neil's latest episode of THE SATURDAY STRANGENESS

Black 'panther' seen at Norwood

2009-08-10T07:51:00.001-07:00

On 8th August 2009 at approximately 4:00pm the Barrett family walking in woods at Norwood, between Church Road and Auckland Road, observed a five-foot long black animal. The cat emerged from the undergrowth, crossed the path into vegetation and then re-emerged. The animal then headed straight towards the family.

Mrs Barrett immediately grabbed her 2-yr old child, and the family ran off back to Church Road. The incident was reported to local police who went to the area but found no sign of the large cat.

In the past sightings have been reported from Sydenham, Bexley, Bromley, Penge, Carshalton and Croydon.

Neil giving a talk...

2009-07-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

On Saturday 11th July Neil will be appearing at the PHANTOM ENCOUNTERS fayre at Witham, Essex. For details check the link HERE

Did a tiger roam Edgware ?

2009-06-21T03:23:00.001-07:00

Probably not. But in his latest episode of THE SATURDAY STRANGENESS Neil uncovers a local panic concerning a 'big cat'.

Neil interviewed by Nick Redfern.

2009-06-12T02:49:00.000-07:00

At MONSTER USA Neil Arnold is interviewed by author and researcher Nick Redfern, and discusses what it's like to hunt monsters for a living.

Invasion London! Strange swarms over the capital...

2009-06-08T08:46:00.000-07:00

The latest SATURDAY STRANGENESS

More alien invaders to London's waterways...

2009-06-02T08:35:00.001-07:00

Neil's episode 110 of THE SATURDAY STRANGENESS looks into what lurks in the River Thames.

Giant rats and strange butterflies...

2009-05-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

More weird tales from Neil at LONDONIST

Flying jellyfish over Wimbledon!

2009-05-17T05:19:00.001-07:00

Neil's latest SATURDAY STRANGENESS

The giant spider of Epping Forest

2009-05-12T09:03:00.000-07:00

A new weird tale from the Centre For Fortean Zoology daily blog. Read it HERE

The Hammersmith Spooker!

2009-05-03T05:12:00.000-07:00

In 1804 some kind of bizarre spectre haunted the ill-lit alleyways of Hammersmith. The apparition continued its reign of terror right up until the Spring Heeled Jack attacks hit the headlines. Read more HERE

On the track of the Greenwich pond monster...

2009-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Neil's SATURDAY STRANGENESS hunts for the murky terror.

And more obscure London beasties...

2009-04-26T05:07:00.000-07:00

From Neil's CFZ Blog post.

A strange bird in London ?

2009-04-24T08:15:00.001-07:00

From the CFZ, courtesy of YOU TUBE

More London beasts and Kentish creatures..

2009-04-24T08:13:00.001-07:00

At the CFZ blog Neil looks at more strange creatures, including the 'monster of Greenwich', which didn't make the 400-page book! Link HERE

Big cat seen...

2009-04-22T04:59:00.001-07:00

From the WIMBLEDON GUARDIAN

Pink jellyfish in the sky!!

2009-04-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

According to the Wimbledon Guardian, it seems that a strange flying form has been sighted in the skies.