Letter: Cat scan

From Paul Tyler, MP for North Cornwall

In her otherwise comprehensive and fascinating article, Nell Boyce repeats
two popular misconceptions about the Beast of Bodmin Moor
(“Bowels of the beasts”, 22 August, p 36).

First, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has not “dismissed the
whole thing as rubbish” after reviewing evidence of wild big cats on Bodmin
Moor. Far from it: the brief and limited ministry inquiry in 1995, which I
initiated, simply recorded that the information was inconclusive.

Since then, as a result of continued sightings, attacks on livestock and
other evidence, the countryside minister has agreed that his specialist team
should examine further data. The work of the teams from Leicester University and
Newquay Zoo will form part of that new investigation.

And second? Strictly speaking, Cornwall is not part of England.

House of Commons, London