A dead lioness was once discovered by children in a flooded claypit on Merseyside after it was "dumped" by a circus.
Some residents across St Helens will remember the day a lioness, that had been dead for around a month, was found floating and wrapped in tarpaulin in Thatto Heath.
St Helens Police and the local RSPCA branch arrived on Elephant Lane in the town to find the animal after the alarm was raised by children playing alongside the claypit.
Speculation grew over who owned the lioness and how it got there and despite a post-mortem examination, its death remained "a mystery."
Following investigations, it was found that the fully-grown lioness was left there "by mistake" and belonged to a circus that had visited St Helens weeks prior.
Here, we take a look back at one of the town's most bizarre stories.
The weird case of the "strangled" lioness found dumped in St Helens was reported by the Liverpool ECHO in May 1980.
In our newspaper archives, we found what transpired from that unusual day.
On May 21, 1980, the ECHO reported how "children screamed and recoiled in horror" when they found the body of a lioness.
It reads: "At first police suspected the report might be a hoax because the beast was said to be floating in a stretch of water off Elephant Lane which runs through the Thatto Heath district of the town.
"But once they arrived on the scene they discovered the information was genuine. The lioness' body was about 30 yards from the bank in deep water and firemen set up winches to haul the sack to the bank. The operation took over an hour to complete.
"Word soon spread and hundreds of sightseers turned up to watch. There were so many at one point that police feared someone might topple into the water. Extra police were drafted in to keep them back."
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The report mentioned how RSPCA officials identified the body as that of a fully grown lioness of indeterminate age and that it was thought to have been in the water for three to four weeks.
In the article, St Helens RSPCA spokesman Mr Jim Mahoney said: 'We believe the animal was strangled, trussed up and dumped in the lake. it's the most horrific thing I've ever seen."
He added that a post mortem on the body was being carried out that day at Liverpool University Veterinary Hospital.
Jane Hunt, aged 14, of Elephant Lane, was one of the children who raised the alarm.
She said: "I was with my brother and we saw what we thought was a large piece of cardboard in the water. We kicked it and realised it was an animal."
The report continued: "Later, residents expressed fears that the animal must have escaped from Knowsley Safari Park and trekked overland for a mile to search for water.
"But Inspector Alan Williams of St Helens Police said a check with the Safari park showed none of their lions were missing.
"He said: "We have no idea where it has come from. There have not be any reports of any lions missing but there have been several circuses in the area lately and we are checking with them to see if it could have belonged to them.
"It's the most unusual enquiry we have had for years. We will wait to see what the RSPCA tells us before taking the matter further."
The following day, residents heard how the post-mortem examination had come back "inconclusive" and that the owner of the lioness had not yet been found.
On May 22, 1980, the ECHO reported: "The lioness fished out of a flooded claypit in Elephant Lane, Thatto Heath, St Helens, had been dead at least three weeks and was dead before it was put there.
"That much has been established by examination at Liverpool University's veterinary hospital - but nothing more. The cause of death remains a mystery."
Do you have any memories of the lioness being discovered in Thatto Heath? Let us know in the comments section.
At the time, Inspector Jim Mahoney of the St Helens branch of the RSPCA said some of the animal's vital internal organs were badly decomposed, resulting in the outcome of the post-mortem examination being inconclusive.
He said the surgeons doubted if it had been strangled, as there were no signs of the lioness having suffered any kind of trauma.
Police spent the day prior tracking down circuses and fairs which had been in the area in recent weeks to see if the animal had belonged to them.
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A few days later, the owner was of the lioness was located and residents heard "no action" was to be taken against the Hoffman Circus, to whom it had belonged.
On May 29, the ECHO said: "St Helens RSPCA Inspector Jim Mahoney said the lion died while the circus was performing in St Helens about a month ago.
"It was wrapped in tarpaulin and secured with roles for disposal by the local council, he said.
"Apparently, the local authority asked them to place the tarpaulin in a skip for collection. It seems that by mistake it was placed in a contractors' skip, and from there it was placed in the claypit
"We have been given assurance by the circus that in future they will dispose of dead animals in a more suitable manner. In view of this we are not planning to take any action against the circus."
Have you got a St Helens story? Email jessica.molyneux@reachplc.com
