Identity of unknown beast still a mystery

The bushy-tailed, long necked creature was spotted in Curridge by West Berkshire businessman, Don Prater, at about 4.55pm on October 3.
The story has been the most read article on NewburyToday this week and is already the second most read story this month.
It has also been picked up by www.unexplained-mysteries.com, where members believe the ‘Creature From Curridge’ might be a llama, alpaca or musang.
On Twitter, The White Hart Inn, Hamstead Marshall, suggests that the unknown animal might be a fossa, however the mammal is native to Madagascar, so perhaps not.
While NewburyToday reader, Beryl Martin from Newbury thinks the creature might be a wallaby.
Beverley Elliott of Headley Forge Alpacas discounted the theory that the creature could be a loose alpaca.
She said: “Normally alpacas are herd animals. They don’t normally rush off - it’s not in their nature. However llamas will go off on their own.
“I haven’t heard from anyone who is missing an alpaca through the British Alpaca Society.”
Meanwhile Mr Prater, whose sketch of the beast is pictured, has ruled out that the ‘Creature From Curridge’ is an escaped rhea, which went missing from the Willows Farm in Enborne in August.
“The creature I saw had four legs so it can’t be a bird and it was nothing like a baby alpaca because it had long legs. It was more cat-like.
“Nobody has seen anything like it since. Everyone thinks I’m bonkers, but I refute that. I saw it plain as day.”
If you have seen the ‘Creature of Curridge’, or have a theory as to what the animal might be, contact James Williams at james.williams@newburynews.co.uk