Police Scramble Helicopter After Lion Reports Near Huddersfield

A police helicopter has been scrambled and passengers were stopped from leaving a train after police received a report of a lion on the loose near Huddersfield.

West Yorkshire Police received a call at 3.30pm on Sunday from a woman who thought she saw a lion as she was driving in the village of Shepley.

The search lasted almost two hours as officers tried to locate the lion and passengers were forced to remain onboard trains at Shepley station.

But at 5.15pm the inquiry was ended as no lions were found and there were no additional sightings.

Inspector 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 a lion along with a police helicopter.

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

National Rail Enquiries wrote on its Twitter feed: ``Passengers are currently unable to alight from trains at Shepley due to reports by police of a lion in the area.'' It later issued an update that normal service had been resumed.