51. The Abbey Wood Anomaly!

Something has been disturbing chickens coops and pets around Abbey Wood, Belvedere, Welling and Plumstead for a few years. Many believe it is the so-called 'beast' of Bexley, or it could even be the 'beast' of Bluewater... although these mystery cats are possibly one and the same. However the is growing concern, despite scepticism, is that these exotic felids are roaming closer to the city as housing developments eat into the countryside.

During March 2008, an Abbey Wood couple got the fright of their lives when a strange animal prowled across the local rooftops and into their garden. It was evening time, and the family were settled down to watch television when suddenly some 'thing' jumped across the bathroom extension and onto the plastic roof of the conservatory. Fearing a burglar, the husband went to investigate. Upon turning on the security light he caught a glimpse of an animal...

The beast was black, bigger than a dog and had leapt over the garden fence into the dusk. They wanted to believe it had been the local moggie but it was nothing of the sort and somehow it had disturbed a slate on the roof which had crashed onto the floor... whatever had padded across the roof had been heavy, possibly four or five times the size of a domestic cat. During the late '90s and throughout the early '00s it was claimed that a black 'panther' had roamed Plumstead, at one point being caught on CCTV although only appearing as a large, fuzzy blob.

On Thursday 8th May at 2pm, I will be giving a talk to the Bexley U3A on such cases. The venue is at Robert's Hall, behind Christ Church Broadway, Bexleyheath – visitor's are welcome.

Image by brianscott on flickr