A FOREST resident lost his pet dog in a bizarre incident at Cannop Ponds at the weekend.
"I was taking our labrador dog, Pompey, on his Sunday constitutional around the lakes," says Coleford brewer Don Burgess.
"He likes to go for a swim, so I threw a stick in for him to chase. He was a few yards out when there was a swirl of water. A great scaly snout appeared, opened wide, and swallowed him.
"I don't know the difference between a crocodile and an alligator, but it certainly wasn't a giant pike or anything like that. Then, on my way back to the car, I saw these claw-prints in the mud.
"I phoned the Natural History Museum in London, and someone there said they sounded as though they could be crocodile or alligator prints.
"I am very upset about losing Pompey, but if his loss serves to alert people to the possible danger lurking in the ponds, it will have been worthwhile. I will be keeping a watch on the lakes and their surrounds to see if there are further traces of the beast."
Contacted for his comments, wildlife expert Ivan Proctor told the Review: "It sounds unlikely, but it is possible someone released a pet saurian into the lakes when it got too big to keep at home."
BY THE WAY MONDAY'S DATE IS APRIL 1!