Man attacked by lynx

POLICE are investigating the bizarre sighting of what might have been a wild lynx in the village of Newick.

A farm worker, who has so far declined to be named publicly, telephoned police at Lewes at 5pm on Wednesday last week to say he had seen the beast on Newick Hill.

In fact he said the beast three times bigger than a domestic cat leapt at him while he was clearing a thicket.

A police spokesman said the man described grabbing it by the neck and wrestling with it, at which point it escaped into woods. It is understood the man was wearing gloves when he was attacked which may explain why he was not injured.

He described it as having pointed ears.

The police spokesman said lynx were not normally thought to be dangerous to humans. They often hunted deer, however. Equally, people should not hunt them down.

Big cat sightings have been frequent in East Sussex over the years, particularly in the areas north of Lewes and south of Uckfield.

It is thought these cats either escaped or were let out of private zoos, or made a bid for freedom after they were brought in to Gatwick.