EVIDENCE that the Beast of Bodmin Moor has been on the prowl in the Gunnislake area, has been revealed by a set of large paw prints discovered at Cox Park.

Mr Ken Lewis, who was out walking his dog Ben at 8am on Sunday morning, found more than half a dozen prints in the paddock at the rear of his house, which led through a gate and into open fields. 'I have never come across a dog with feet that size' he said, 'and I am now a bit concerned about going out to the paddock after dark to give Ben his evening walk. I don't fancy bumping into a big cat'. He added that the paddock and field would be a good hunting ground as it is home to a dense population of rabbits.

Mr Lewis has contacted Mike Thomas at Newquay Zoo who keeps records of 'Beast' sightings.

Big cat

He wants to see photographs but has confirmed that the Cox Park prints, which have been measured at more than three and a half inches across, are unlikely to be those of a dog and do indicate a big cat.

This is thought to be one of the first sightings to be reported in the area, fuelling the belief that there is more than one big cat on the loose in Cornwall, as there have been reports of sightings county wide.

However, the name Beast of Bodmin Moor evolved because the first ever sighting was on the moor where there have been many sightings since. The excitement was so intense at one stage, that an African Masai Warrior, complete with tribal spear and shield, was brought from his native home to try and hunt it down. But the experiment was a failure.

Villages close to the moor, including Henwood and St Cleer have all had sightings, but the beast has also been seen in the Looe valley near St Keyne, when a tuft of its hair left on hedge brambles, was sent to experts for analysing, which pointed to a puma.

Mr Thomas says the latest sighting was two weeks ago in the Launceston area, which is not far from Cox Park.