Police helicopter hunts for lion

Bristol police were called out to hunt for a lion after two reported sightings of a big cat in South Gloucestershire.

The helicopter was launched on Tuesday evening in an attempt to spot the lion which had been seen by two members of an NHS Direct centre at Bradley Stoke.

Eye witnesses described the cat as having: "Large paws, a long tail and a loping walk".

Bristol Zoo said it had no involvement in the search and all its lions were in an enclosure in its Clifton base.

BBC weatherman Ian Fergusson, who lives locally, said: "The police helicopter flew over Bradley Stoke between 7.30 and 8 o'clock. It hovered over the Almondsbury Interchange.

"We assumed there had been an accident on the motorway," he said.

"There was no sign of any other police activity."

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