A Pocklington jeweller claims to have "concrete" evidence of the existence of the so-called "wildcat of the Wolds".

Pocklington jeweller Ken Hobson has managed to get a cast of a paw print after an attack on his chicken coop by an unidentified creature.

Now he is inviting big cat experts to inspect it - and claims it could prove the rumours true once and for all.

Over the past couple of years, dozens of people have reported seeing a beast-like cat roaming the countryside in North and East Yorkshire.

It has been variously described as something akin to a puma or a lion.

Mr Hobson, of Huggate, was alerted to the presence of something strange when he heard his dog howling in the early hours of the morning.

He went out to investigate, but in the gloom was not able to hear or see anything.

But when he returned to the spot in daylight he was faced with a scene of devastation.

He said: "The place was wrecked. Most of the chickens had fled. The cockerel, who is usually very brave, was still petrified and there were three dead chickens."

He added that the attacker had left a clue - a set of very large footprints, more than three inches across.

He took a cast and is inviting any local big cat expert to inspect it.

He said: "The footprints are far too big for a normal dog or cat and definitely for a fox."

Previous big-cat related incidents in the region include sightings in Ryedale and Market Weighton. However, veterinary surgeon Matthew Brash, of Stamford Bridge, said it was unlikely the attack was by a big cat.

He said: "This area is far too urbanised for a creature of this sort to survive without being regularly spotted, and many alleged sightings in this region have been disproved.

"A lot of footprints found that are supposed to come from these animals have claw marks on them, and big cats never walk around with their claws out."

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