Essex wild-cat alert

An expert in trapping dangerous animals yesterday raised the possibility that a wild cat is roaming Essex woodlands.

Sightings of a creature in Brentwood could be the sign of a wild puma, according to big-cats expert Quentin Rose. Essex police called him in to carry out an investigation of Vicarage Woods after people reported sightings of what appeared to be a lioness. After a search of the woods yesterday, Mr Rose concluded there was no evidence of a big cat at that location, but conceded that there was evidence to suggest there could be wild cats in the area.