Essex Police Looking For Escaped Lion; Residents Ordered To Remain Indoors As 'Lion' Tweets From The Area

By Jeff Stone | August 26 2012 7:40 PM

Police officers in Essex have warned residents a lion could be on the loose in the area, located on the eastern coast of the U.K. All lions in local zoos have been accounted for, but it is believed there is a circus traveling in the vicinity, according to the Guardian.

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An African lioness.

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Citizens have been ordered to stay indoors.

It is unknown whether the animal is in fact a lion because of the nature of eyewitness testimony. After being shown a picture, though, experts at the Colchester Zoo believe it was indeed a lion spotted in a field in St. Oysth, Essex. Armed police were in the area, and a helicopter was flying over the field in question.

One local resident, Che Kevlin, told the BBC that he thought he heard a loud roar. "It was worrying as we had just been for a walk with the dog," Kevlin said. "We saw the police helicopter, but thought it was just searching for a person. ... It sounded like the roar of a lion."

The Essex Police tweeted, "Police are working with experts from Colchester Zoo who can tranquilize the animal when it is found."

Perhaps unsurprisingly, there has already been a Twitter account opened for The Essex Lion -- with more than 1,800 followers. Sending out tweets from in around Essex, the so-called Lion has written that it's hungry, and, among other things, "Meow."