Essex 'lion' is my cat, says Maine Coon owner

A cat owner has said she believes her Maine Coon cat, called Teddy Bear, is the animal at the centre of the lion hunt in Essex.

Ginny Murphy, from St Osyth, said her cat regularly went hunting in the fields around the town.

Police have advised people to get back to normal after the hunt for the lion was called off. Two police helicopters were scrambled over St Osyth over the weekend but no trace of a big cat was found.

Maine Coons, or American Longhairs, are much larger than the average cat.