Army Hunts 'Beast of Bodmin'
A military exercise to find evidence of big cats roaming the Cornish countryside is being stepped up.
[Original headline: New quest for beast evidence]In November, 18 members of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment, based at RAF St Mawgan, were deployed on a night exercise to try to spot the elusive creatures.
Despite setting up observation posts and using high-tech night vision goggles and thermal imaging equipment, no evidence was found which would have laid to rest the big cat mystery.
But 70 personnel will again take to the wilds of Bodmin Moor on March 18 in an increased effort to provide definite evidence of the existence of the creatures.
The operation, named Exercise Last Look, will start at Davidstow Airfield on the Saturday morning, with a deployment by Sea King helicopter to a drop-off point on the edge of Bodmin Moor. Troops will then move on foot to their designated observation posts ready for the night exercise.
[Source: Cornish Guardian - Mar 15 2000]
