Chorley Guardian were contacted by Kirst D’Raven regarding the mutilation of a deer in the Chorley area and subsequent reports of alleged Crypto activity in area, including the alleged sightings and photograph of a ‘beast’, said to be attacking animals.First contact to Karl Holbrook, reporter, who explained he didn’t really have any more information on the attacks, but would email previously unpublished photograph of the mutilated deer for an opinion on what may have caused the injuries.
The picture was quickly emailed to me. Unfortunately, due to poor quality of the picture it is impossible to determine a cause for the injuries to the animal, but it is noted that there is a distinct lack of blood at the scene, suggesting that the animal may have been moved, or that the mutilation could very possibly have occurred post mortem. The picture was taken from a dorsal aspect depicting what appears to be a young Roe deer – this assumption made on the basis that the animal’s legs and ears appear to be too large for it. There is no exif information with the picture, which prevents confirmation of the photographer’s identity unless the original file can be obtained.
The animal appears to have been partially dismembered and then reassembled for the photograph. The hide appears to be missing from below the cervical area, through the thoracic and lumber regions terminating slightly before the animal’s quarters. The Ribcage and spinal cord, which has been severed, has been positioned folded back along the carcass. Internal organs are not visible, suggesting that some of the larger organs including the stomach and intestines may be missing, although the lungs appear to be in situ. A lack of exposed body fat and muscular tissue suggests that the animal has been stripped, and staining on the throat of the animal may indicate that the animal has been bled.
At this point, it is impossible to determine what animal, if any, caused the injuries, and human causes cannot be ruled out.
Picture of ‘Beast’ (article-1244693-07EF8864000005DC-402_634x423)Again, due to very poor picture quality it is impossible to draw any significant conclusion as to what species appears in the picture. The accompanying article describes eye witness reports of something that resembles a boar, a wolf and a spotted hyena that moves like a cat. The picture shows an animal figure against a rural background. Again, no exif file prevents confirmation of dates, camera, modification etc. The back legs of the animal are definitely canine, which rules out cat or boar, but lack of detail prevents further speculation.
Further telephone conversation made to Karl regarding findings so far and to arrange meeting for Monday 24th January, at the Bobbin Mill public house in Buckshaw at 12pm.
Further Findings:
Research by Steve Mera uncovered the following information relevant to this case:
- Article on Unexplained.net, speculating on the species of animal, and including an interview with Chris Bailey (an expert from Chipping Wild Boar Park). Although Mr. Bailey dismisses the wild boar theory, the presence of the park in the local area may explain why the animal’s description is cropping up in reports. This site also includes an artists rendering of the ‘Beast’.
- Manchester Evening News, (19/9/08) Article featuring the sighting and photos of a rare black fox in locality.
- Lancashire Telegraph (12/11/08) Article describing the discovery of several domestic animals, found tortured and burnt and dumped in Buckshaw village.
- The Citizen (20/01/10) article regarding dog attacks on sheep in local area.
- Hull and East Riding.Co.Uk (22/09/08) article regarding illegal deer hunting in locality, including report on the discovery of a deer left hung in tree for bleeding.
Several other links to forums, national, local and international news sites featuring the ‘Beast of Buckshaw’ story, a list of links appears below:
http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_15097.shtml
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fchorley%2Fbuckshaw%2F3839603.Remains_of_tortured_animals_dumped_in_Buckshaw_Village%2F&h=805b16f1886a2afb21139647df0c0a63
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1067501_rare_fox_found_in_chorley
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread536819/pg1
http://www.chorleycitizen.co.uk/news/4861078.Sheep_killed_in_vicious_dog_attacks_at_Rivington/
http://forteanzoology.blogspot.com/2010/01/beast-of-buckshaw-hmmmmmmm.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1244693/Pictured-The-mystery-Buckshaw-Beast-savaging-animals-terrorising-villagers.html
http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/environment/Deer-shot-head-illegal-hunters/article-343072-detail/article.html
Research:
After further research into its origins, the ‘Beast’ photograph (article-1244693-07EF8864000005DC-402_634x423) was claimed to have been taken by John Russell in the last few days. However, a Google search revealed that the ‘Beast of Buckshaw’ in this photographic incarnation actually started out its existence as the ‘Beast of Dartmoor’ in the Fortean Times magazine in July 2007. This picture, along with a few others were submitted to the magazine and was seen by Martin Whitley, a professional falconer from Devon On 9 June, he contacted the national research network Big Cats In Britain regarding the sighting. I have contacted Mark Fraser to locate the original file. However, the press was contacted by the owner of a Newfoundland dog called as she was sure that the 'Beast of Dartmoor' pictures actually show Troy going for a stroll. The family live very close to the spot where the photos were taken and the dog often walked around there of its own accord.
Further research into origins of the deer photo revealed its earliest source on a facebook group, where it was posted on the 16/01/10 by John Russell with the message :
‘I only took this photo a few days ago when we had the snow. I’m afraid the beast is still at large.
I spoke to PC Clemence before Christmas, and the jumped up little ***** claimed the police had shot and killed the beast in early December, well I'm afraid to say. The beast is out there. If anyone knows anyone at the guardian, I think it’s time to get the press involved before this thing gets the taste for human blood’
The Facebook Group:
The Buckshaw Village Facebook group has been a source of very interesting information. The first mention of the Beast is dated 24/10/09, with a report of it been seen rifling through litter bins. This is quickly followed by more speculation, with the Dartmoor Beast photo posted on 24/10/09, again by John Russell who declared
‘this is crazy, i took a photo of something a few days ago, I cant work out what it is, i saw it in a field by dawson lane.’
When the above was challenged by another group member Steven Tyson, (who posted a link to the Fortean Times article, he counters..
‘Stephen Tyson, obviously works for the government and is trying to make out my photo to be fake, anyone can knock up a html document and post it. We all know why there is a government cover up going on. The military chemicals buried under buckshaw village are obviously what's causing genetically warped beasts to roam our village. I challenge Stephen Tyson to spend one night in the countryside around buckshaw and then tell us there is no beast.’
Links:
http://www.forteantimes.com/strangedays/cryptozoology/546/dartmoor_mystery_beast.html
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=2862482364#/group.php?v=wall&gid=2862482364
Pre Conclusion:
At this point, the main priority seems to be to defuse the mass hysteria which is being propagated by certain individuals on forums etc.
Later posts on the facebook group reports groups of people drinking in the local pub, then going ‘Monster hunting’ while under the influence of alcohol, and bearing firearms. Therefore I intend to inform the local police of my findings in the hope that this aspect may be monitored and brought under control immediately.
The recent reports of sheep attacks may possibly be related, so contact with the farmer to obtain details of the animals’ injuries may also be of benefit. A scan of the area’s waterways and the locations of sightings and incidents will be carried out during our visit, as will possible liaison with locals.
At this point, due to the lack of reliable witnesses there is little more we can do to proceed with this case other than to monitor the situation.
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1 comment:
As far as I can determine, the origins of the "Beast of Buckshaw" were two persons commenting on a Facebook group in late October, and this first report as an obvious fake since the commentator stated that the photo of the beast was taken by himself, using a mobile phone camera. Quite apart from there being no major hills like the one pictured in the "Beast" photo in the area of Buckshaw and the camera being a different zoom type than that of a phone camera, the photos are absolutely identical with the 2007 photographs from Dartmoor.
So, from this we can conclude that the two people on the Facebook group who started the gossip are at best quite definitely a tainted source, and most likely two fools trying (and succeeding, through journalistic incompetence) in starting a wild rumour.
Now, what else could be living around Buckshaw Village? Well, the place isn't what I'd call rural; urban fringe is about the what I'd call it. There aren't any big woods; the biggest patches of woodland are about quarter of a mile across, and I'll bet every single one of 'em gets walked through with people with dogs on a very regular basis. There is only one farm in the area that I can see, a fairly modest mixed affair, bordered by a couple of golf courses.
An area like this will be hopping with rabbits, thick with hunting domestic cats and lousy with domestic dogs out being walked, and by night will have the usual complement of urban foxes, the occasional badger with more road-sense than is normal for the species, and probably a few deer. There won't be any wild boar, simply because the area is way too well walked over for such animals to find comfortable, and in any case a wild boar rooting on a golf course would by now be known about.
So, my take on this is the whole thing is a hoax by two people who are probably laughing their silly heads off at it. Had there actually been anything about, the local monster hunters would have been posting crude, out-of-focus pictures of footprints onto Facebook all over the recent snowy spell and the Daily Mail would have been fairly screaming the story from the rooftops; the silence from those quarters is deafening.
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