wild boar

Another great “mega-fauna” story….

Police have released a picture of a what is believed to be a wild boar roaming the streets of a city centre at night.

The animal has so far evaded capture after being spotted on CCTV in Gloucester on Tuesday.

Gloucestershire Constabulary posted the image on Twitter, asking: “Have you lost a pig? One’s been roaming Westgate Street in Gloucester tonight.”

But locals were quick to point out that they believe it was actually a wild boar that could have come from nearby woods.

Local resident Ian Hatton said on Facebook: “That’s not a pig; that’s a boar. It may be wild but it’s worrying if they are coming into Gloucester.”

Wild boars have previously been spotted in the Forest of Dean and are reported to have attacked dogs, children and cars.

Residents of Yorkley, Lydney, Coleford and Alvington are concerned after a large rise in the boar population in Gloucestershire.

Last September, it was reported that in three years the wild boar numbers tripled to 1,562, despite pledges by the Forestry Commission to keep numbers to 400.

The animals in the Forest of Dean have begun venturing into residential areas in recent years in the hunt for food.