A mysterious black cat-like creature known as the Huttock Top Beast has haunted the moors of Lancashire for decades, with chilling sightings still whispered about today, writes GEMMA JOHNSON
Across the United Kingdom there are cryptic stories galore – from The Beast of Bodmin, to The Barghest of York, to the most famous of them all, Nessie herself.
But scratch below the surface and there are a myriad of cryptid tales across smaller, less famous locations. Tales that are ingrained into the myths and legends of both rural and inner city towns alike.
In the early 2000s, tales of a new cryptid began to surface in Bacup – a beast that became known as The Huttock Top Beast.
Described by witnesses as a large black cat, it was said to roam the moors above Bacup. In 2008, the first accounts started to roll into local police, gathering in numbers – so much so that advice was sought from big cat specialists.
One local reported that she saw it when walking her dog along the path near Huttock Top Farm. She first noticed something large and black walking across the pathway in front of her.
The movement was cat-like, but it was far too big to be a common housecat. It paused for a brief moment on the pathway and then moved swiftly into a nearby field.
After those initial reports of the ‘beast’ there was a period of quiet. Had this just been a misunderstanding? Perhaps mistaken identity?
Seemingly not, because the beast began to reappear again in 2014 with a cluster of sightings. This time, it was seen in different locations to Bacup, with some of these sightings being in daylight.
An older couple saw the ‘beast’ sitting on the stone wall next to a reservoir in Rossendale. They described it as being the size of a very large dog with a huge tail.
It watched them for a few moments before disappearing.
Shortly after this sighting, a local farmer in the area caught CCTV footage of what appeared to be a large cat chasing chickens on the farmland.
The moors surrounding Bacup and Rossendale are vast. There is every chance that a ‘beast’ could live alongside residents unnoticed.
Reports of sightings have been minimal in recent years, but this doesn’t mean that our cryptid friend is no longer there.
Big cat specialists themselves confirm that there is plenty of food and shelter available to allow a large cat to survive and thrive.
If you live in the Lancashire area, and are near moorlands, take a little extra care when walking around. You never know who, or what, is lurking amongst the heathers.
