Research into my documentary
For the theme of my documentary I seek to investigate a local legend that holds an enormous interest within me. As a resident of Stafford, or to be more precise outer Stafford near Milford, and having relatives live in the neighbouring town of Cannock I have always had a great association with the local woodland known as Cannock Chase. As the smallest area of outstanding natural beauty in the UK, and the home too many great mountain bike trails I have always enjoyed spending time in the area and enjoying the scenery.
For the theme of my documentary I seek to investigate a local legend that holds an enormous interest within me. As a resident of Stafford, or to be more precise outer Stafford near Milford, and having relatives live in the neighbouring town of Cannock I have always had a great association with the local woodland known as Cannock Chase. As the smallest area of outstanding natural beauty in the UK, and the home too many great mountain bike trails I have always enjoyed spending time in the area and enjoying the scenery.
The area is also surrounded by local legend. As a hot spot for sighting U.F.O, Yetis, Big Foot and others super natural beings Cannock chase and the surrounding area has often been the spotlight for odd encounters such as the 1964 Penkridge incident where supposedly a U.F.O crash landed into local fields and is being kept in a local RAF base under military protection. As always these stories are disregarded as ghost stories and made up lies to attract attention. However the local area also has a legend with a little more evidence to prove its possible legitimacy.
For as long as I can remember local people have always spooked one another with tales of the “Cannock Chase Beast” a supposed black panther that lives in the local area and eats people and animals. Like most people I have always dismissed the story on the basis of rationality yet still held wonder as to its existence, always hoping to see it for myself, much like the Loch Ness Monster of Scotland for example.
For as long as I can remember local people have always spooked one another with tales of the “Cannock Chase Beast” a supposed black panther that lives in the local area and eats people and animals. Like most people I have always dismissed the story on the basis of rationality yet still held wonder as to its existence, always hoping to see it for myself, much like the Loch Ness Monster of Scotland for example.
Whilst reading through the local paper I noticed an article claiming supposed proof of the creature had been found. Naturally intrigued I looked further into online achieves of the paper and other local papers, finding article after article on supposed sightings of a creature “smaller than a deer, but it had a large black tail and was sort of slinking through the bracken”.
This inspired me to create a documentary to investigate whether or not there is any evidence of the creature’s existence, by gaining the opinions of experts and the local people as well as visiting the area to see whether or not I could prove its existence.
Below are a few examples of the articles I read online that fueled my interest to make this documentary:
"Proof" of the Beast of Cannock Chase revealed
Dec 22 2008
Could this cast be more hard evidence of the existence of the Chase Beast?Obtained by the Cannock Chase Post from a secret location in the borough it clearly shows the paw print of a large mammal.
Spanning over four inches in diameter, the plaster cast backs up reports we have received from over a dozen locals who claim to have seen a big cat roaming the streets and fields.
In July this year golfers Ray Bright and Danny Adams photographed a huge pawprint they discovered at a nearby golf club.
And eyewitness accounts of encounters with the big cat have continued to flood in to us - the last sighting was along the Greenway, the disused railway track linking Gnosall and Stafford which is now popular with walkers and cyclists.
Big cat expert Neil Arnold, of Kent Big Cat Research, contacted the Post after news of the Chase Beast spread.
He said he is in no doubt that panthers and other big cats are loose in the UK.
“It’s time the public, especially sceptics, realised that large exotic cats are nothing unusual in our countryside anymore - and that the only mystery is that they’ve become a mystery.”
Mr Arnold claims the cats have gradually been released over decades from private collections and travelling menageries resulting in today’s population.
He added: “These cats are not a threat to humans, as there is so much prey out there in the wilds, from rabbits to deer and from birds to livestock, but such animals must be taken seriously.”
Taken from the Chase Post on December 22nd 2008
Has the beast of Cannock Chase been caught on Camera at last?
Apr 2 2009 By Mike Lockley
Bloody hell - it’s the beast.
We’ve had endless pictures of the remains of the Chase big cat’s prey, we’ve had paw prints, but now reader Dave Causer has gone one better. He says he’s taken a picture of the elusive animal.
Dave, from Rugeley, said: “I was walking near the Rifle Range when I spotted a lot of movement in the undergrowth. Then I saw what I thought was a large dog.
“It didn’t seem to mind that I was there. As I got closer, it became clear it was a cat - a very big cat. It looked like a panther. After what seemed an age it bounded across the open ground into woodland.”
The 55-year-old engineer used an Olympus camera.
But before readers, who have been searching for the animal for over ten years, hail this as the first piece of solid evidence that there really is a big cat on The Chase, a note should be made of when the picture was taken. Dave says he snapped the animal yesterday - that’s April the first.
So, are you taking the mickey, mate?
Dave - we’re waiting for an answer...
Taken from the Chase Post 2nd April 2009
We’ve had endless pictures of the remains of the Chase big cat’s prey, we’ve had paw prints, but now reader Dave Causer has gone one better. He says he’s taken a picture of the elusive animal.
Dave, from Rugeley, said: “I was walking near the Rifle Range when I spotted a lot of movement in the undergrowth. Then I saw what I thought was a large dog.
“It didn’t seem to mind that I was there. As I got closer, it became clear it was a cat - a very big cat. It looked like a panther. After what seemed an age it bounded across the open ground into woodland.”
The 55-year-old engineer used an Olympus camera.
But before readers, who have been searching for the animal for over ten years, hail this as the first piece of solid evidence that there really is a big cat on The Chase, a note should be made of when the picture was taken. Dave says he snapped the animal yesterday - that’s April the first.
So, are you taking the mickey, mate?
Dave - we’re waiting for an answer...
Taken from the Chase Post 2nd April 2009
From these articles it can be seen that this case has a much larger possibility of legitimacy than U.F.O or Yeti sightings and that as an issue it needs to be investigated and documented.
First though I will conduct research into documentaries to understand their forms and conventions, codes and conducts so that I can produce a professional piece that seeks to crack this mystery once and for all.
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