A picture of a mystery animal that was claimed to have been spotted in a park in northern England has caused quite a stir online. The people of Heywood in Greater Manchester have been left perplexed - although some think it's just a wind-up.
A resident claimed to have spotted the animal in Queen's Park in the town. John told the M.E.N that he saw it while out on his daily walk on Wednesday.
He posted a photo of the small furry animal onto the Heywood Town Facebook group and asked if anybody knew what it was. Hundreds of suggestions resulted.
Danielle said: "Looks like a bear." Denise wrote: "It's a fox." Laura offered an unusual suggestion. "It looks half pig half fox," she said.
"It's a racoon dog," Stacey commented. Josh asked: "Is it a mink maybe?"
Most people identified the animal as a bush dog, which are canines native to Central and South America. They live in forests and wet savannahs and it would be extremely rare to see one in the UK.
Chris wrote: "It's a bush dog." Emily said: "Ring RSPCA, it's a bush dog."
Jennifer O'Neill said: "Omg it's a bush dog they are awesome they have them at Yorkshire wildlife park. They don't live in the wild here though, should let RSPCA know."
But a few people questioned whether the animal was actually spotted in Heywood at all. Adam wrote: "Gullible people." Maxine asked: "Wind up?"
Whether the animal was spotted in Heywood or not, it definitely got people talking. The mystery continues...
