Police in Essex investigating reports of a lion being spotted in a field have called off the search.

The animal was seen near Earl Hall Drive in St Osyth, near Clacton-on-Sea, by holidaymaker Bob Martin at about 19:00 BST on Sunday.

Mr Martin said he and his wife Denise saw a large cat and a lion “was the first thing that came to mind”.

Police officers decided to call off the search on Monday after no trace of a big cat was found.

A police spokesman said: “We believe what was seen on Sunday evening was either a large domestic cat or a wildcat.

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