RESIDENTS in Shepley were last night left wondering: Have we a lion loose in the village?

The big cat, thought to be a cub, had been spotted three times in the space of a few hours by three different people.

And their reports were taken deadly seriously by police, who mounted a huge hunt for the cat.

That ended as a cold darkness descended on the village but police confirmed inquiries were continuing.

At one point during yesterday afternoon’s drama, rail passengers were not allowed to get off at Shepley station after one report suggested the lion had been seen on the line.

Police brought in the West Yorkshire force helicopter to join the big search yesterday afternoon.

They confirmed they had three reports of a lioness or lion cub seen in the area yesterday afternoon.

One sighting was in the car park of The Cask & Spindle pub in Abbey Road, a second at Birdsedge about two miles away and a third on the rail line near Shepley station.

Insp Carlton Young, of West Yorkshire Police, said: “We’ve had unconfirmed reports of a lion or a lion cub in the area. We’ve had officers looking around.

“At the moment we’ve had nothing confirmed and we’ve not located anyone who is claiming to have lost an animal.”

Officers believe the woman - who claimed to have seen a lion on Penistone Road, Shepley – was a genuine caller.

Around 12 officers were dispatched to look for the lion along with the police helicopter.

Insp Young added that the search would be resumed tomorrow if there were any more reports.

Abbey Road resident Sam Swindin, who was at home with wife Sarah and family, said: “The police knocked at the door and told us not to be alarmed but said they had reports of a lion cub in the area.

“They said it had been seen in the pub car park, which is only a few yards away, and also on the rail line.

“They did a search of the area but left without apparently finding anything”.

A spokesman from the Cask & Spindle said: “A woman called the police saying that she had seen it out of the restaurant window.

“She didn't tell anyone here at the pub – the police arrived here at about 3.30pm and were here for a good couple of hours.

“They said there had been three separate sightings - from three separate people - so they were taking it seriously.

“I find it all a little bit strange”. News of the big cat search spread through the village into the evening and there was a flurry of activity on social networking sites.

Many of those saw the funny side of the events.

On Twitter, posters said: nationalrailenq National Rail – Passengers are currently unable to alight from trains at Shepley due to reports by police of a lion in the area

Rhodri Marsden

Lion info from PA: RT @laurenros:@rhodri police said a woman called them, saying she had driven past a lion. They've looked, can’t find one.

Carlmaxim

Update. Lion at Shepley being questioned by British Transport Police for trying to jump the barrier. This is so typical of lions.

vizcomic Viz

Shepley station reopens after lion scare. Mane line services are unaffected.

In May a police helicopter was scrambled and a golf course cleared after a white tiger was spotted in a field in Hampshire by members of the public - only to turn out to be a stuffed toy.

Police received several calls reporting sightings of the tiger in a field near Hedge End, Southampton.

Specialist staff from nearby Marwell Zoo were called in to advise and potentially tranquillise the wild animal and a local golf course was evacuated.

But as police officers carefully approached the dangerous animal they realised it was not moving and the helicopter crew, using thermal imaging equipment, realised there was no heat source coming from it.