Bear spotted in Rendlesham Forest

REBECCA LEFORT
Last updated: 30/03/2009 12:24:00

IF you go down to the woods today you're in for a big surprise…

According to a number of visitors to Rendlesham Forest, bears are roaming the Suffolk countryside.

At least three people claim to have seen the grizzly beasts in the forest within the last week, although bears are not native to Britain.

Bizarre sightings are nothing new to the site which is a favourite among conspiracy theorists after UFOs were supposedly spotted there in the 1980s.

One of those who saw the creature is Jenny Pearce who said: “I was on the green at Rendlesham Forest having a picnic with my three-year-old son and his friend's family.

“After the picnic we stayed to play and explore the woods. While we were in the forest I saw a large animal moving through the trees ahead.

“I thought it was a big dog, so I picked up my son because he has never really got into dogs and gets easily scared. But as it continued away from us it was clearly not a dog.

“It was much bigger and there wasn't anyone there to be walking it if it was a large dog.

“I left for the car straight away, and looked for a forest person to tell but there were none about. I mentioned it to another parent in the car park and they said it could be fox or husky, as huskies are kept nearby, but it really was a lot bigger.”

Meanwhile Nick Deptford, who also contacted the East Anglian Daily Times, added: “I've seen some sort of animal in Rendlesham forest this weekend and the people in the forest say that it could only be a deer or a dog, but it was much bigger, more like a bear although I don't think we've got bears here.

“Definitely not aliens this time though like all that stuff that was meant to have happened in 1980!”

But Suffolk animal expert Alec Suttenwood of the Ipswich Wildlife Care and Rescue said it was highly unlikely that bears were actually roaming Rendlesham Forest.

“There are no bears I know of, though I've heard big cats reported,” he said.

“Some big dogs like a big chow, which is very hairy, can look like bears.

“I think a bear could survive in Rendlesham Forest but it would be a big danger to people.

“But it is unlikely to be a bear because there is nowhere it could even escape from.”

A spokesman for the Forestry Commission said he had not heard of any bear sightings in the forest and added: “We don't have bears in this country, so it would have to be a release or escape, but we have had no reports of it.

“If people do see a bear they ought to call the police because it would be very dangerous.”

Suffolk police said the force had not received any bear sightings.

- Have you spotted a bear or any other unusual animal in the Suffolk countryside? If so, contact the EADT newsdesk on 01473 324736 or email news@eadt.co.uk

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