Essex lion: First picture said to be of 'beast on loose'

THIS picture is claimed to be of the lion cops are hunting in Essex and emerged this morning.

People were warned to stay indoors after a big cat was seen in a field beside a caravan site.

More than 30 officers, some armed, joined the hunt in St Osyth, near Clacton.

On first glance this shadowy image, taken by a witness, shows a large creature with a long tail and two glowing eyes standing underneath a streetlamp.

But when the picture is lightened, a process which simply removes the shadows, it looks very much like a lion.

Wild ... could this be 'beast of Essex'?

But our photo created a twitter storm - with many claiming it could be a hoax.

Cops showed pictures of the 'beast' to experts from Colchester Zoo — who said they believed it WAS a lion.

Farm worker Guy Hunt, who saw the photo, said: “It looked like a lion to me. It’s huge and yellow. I don’t want to mess with it.”

Two police helicopters using heat-seeking equipment are also being used in the hunt.

Search ... beast was seen near caravan park

Eastnews Press Agency/Peter Laws

Essex police said: "Residents of St Osyth are advised to enjoy the Bank Holiday Monday but to be cautious. Officers still in the area conducting searches."

Roger Lord, of Earls Hall Farm, St Osyth, said: “The first thing we knew about it was a phone call from the police last night.

“I am sceptical - I think it might just be a large domestic cat, but they certainly saw something that they were were concerned about and they went down the right route to the police.

“They have taken it very seriously and have put two helicopters up in the air and I don’t know how many armed police that we still have on site now. They have taken it very seriously.”

Guns ... police taking precautions in hunt

Eastnews Press Agency/Peter Laws

He added he believed most of the residents of the caravans were on site at the time of the sighting.

“I think most of them were on site at the time, so more than one person saw it,” he said

Rick Baker, 39, of Romford, Essex, saw the lion while walking with his two sons, aged nine and 11, near the Seawick Holiday Park.

Prowl ... lions usually live in Africa

Van driver Rick said: “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?’”

Dave Sparks, 33, who owns the Red Lion in St Osyth, said: “People are concerned. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true. Strange things have happened in this village.”

All animals at Colchester Zoo were accounted for. A circus which moved on from nearby Clacton earlier this month said it didn't have lions on its tour.