Woman spots 4ft-long 'crocodile' in UK garden

[Still Waters]

A woman was left shocked after looking out of her window to see a 4ft-long 'crocodile' on the loose.

Nurse Sarah Jayne Ellis spotted the animal, which has been dubbed the Castleford Croc, in a back garden in the West Yorkshire town.

Quick-thinking Sarah was able to whip out her phone and grab some quick snaps of the creature, which appear to show a long reptile with a tail lying in the grass.

https://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-woman-spots-4ft-long-crocodile-in-back-garden-in-yorkshire-20210920

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/familys-shock-4ft-long-crocodile-21612500?

[Kittens Are Jerks]

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but did she not immediately call authorities to report the sighting? If they were able to come quickly enough, they might have been able to capture it. Nothing scarier than having a crocodile roaming around, especially if there are children and pets in the area.

[jethrofloyd]

It's really dangerous to have a crocodile roaming around free.

[TashaMarie]

2 hours ago, Kittens Are Jerks said:

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but did she not immediately call authorities to report the sighting? If they were able to come quickly enough, they might have been able to capture it. Nothing scarier than having a crocodile roaming around, especially if there are children and pets in the area.

It states she thinks it needs investigating but not that she reported it, who see's what they believe to be a Crocodile in a garden and not report it?  

Edit - Or it's a hoax which is more than likely.

Edited September 20, 2021 by TashaMarie

[Kittens Are Jerks]

3 minutes ago, TashaMarie said:

It states she thinks it needs investigating but not that she reported it, who see's what they believe to be a Crocodile in a garden and not report it?  

Exactly. She took photos of it and could clearly see what it was. She was tired after a long shift that's understandable, but it would have taken all of two minutes to call authorities. I mean, seriously, 'quick thinking Sarah' wasn't too tired to snap a few photos, but too tired to press three digits on her phone.

[TashaMarie]

17 hours ago, Kittens Are Jerks said:

Exactly. She took photos of it and could clearly see what it was. She was tired after a long shift that's understandable, but it would have taken all of two minutes to call authorities. I mean, seriously, 'quick thinking Sarah' wasn't too tired to snap a few photos, but too tired to press three digits on her phone.

Seems to be the way it is.

[MysteryMike]

Judging from the snout, looks more like an alligator.

Most likely an escaped or released pet.

[Bendy Demon]

23 hours ago, jethrofloyd said:

It's really dangerous to have a crocodile roaming around free.

Ya don't say.

But I agree..why didn't this dippy woman report the sighting? Laziness comes to mind I wager.

 

[Gumball]

She needs that grass cut

[Jon the frog]

At least she didn't see two of them... if they start to reproduce it would be more worrisome.

[dragon1440]

Its actually not surprising she didnt call the cops. It is something that psychology has done research on. The bystander effect at its basic means that someone will not do something, for instance call the cops, because they think someone else will. It started being studied after the murder of Kitty Genovese in NY in the 1960s. Even though she lived in an apt building full of people who later said they heard the murder going on, but none of them thought to call cops (or didnt want to get involved) because they thought someone else would do it. Sadly it is an aspect of society that happens more often then not, although the invention of smart phones and other technology has the bystander effect becoming less and less, the video tapes of the cops and George Floyd are a prime example of people doing the opposite of bystander effect, and thats because of technology and a more social minded next generation.

[OpenMindedSceptic]

10 hours ago, dragon1440 said:

Its actually not surprising she didnt call the cops. It is something that psychology has done research on. The bystander effect at its basic means that someone will not do something, for instance call the cops, because they think someone else will. It started being studied after the murder of Kitty Genovese in NY in the 1960s. Even though she lived in an apt building full of people who later said they heard the murder going on, but none of them thought to call cops (or didnt want to get involved) because they thought someone else would do it. Sadly it is an aspect of society that happens more often then not, although the invention of smart phones and other technology has the bystander effect becoming less and less, the video tapes of the cops and George Floyd are a prime example of people doing the opposite of bystander effect, and thats because of technology and a more social minded next generation.

I thought that's where there is a group of bystanders. Each member of the group thinks the other will do something and then nothing happens. When it is an individual, they know it's down to them and so act accordingly (not withstanding fight, flight, freeze). 

[Myles]

I think hoax is still a possibility.  

[simplybill]

The photo looks legitimate to me, but I’m surprised that the UK’s weather is warm enough to allow an ectothermic reptile to thrive. Here in the US, alligators stop feeding when temperatures drop below 70° F (21° C). 

[Essan]

Taking into account the visible paving slabs, the fencing and the length of the grass, I would say it's around 18 inches long.  At most.  More likely 12 inches.   And probably made of rubber .....

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

On 9/21/2021 at 6:44 AM, Kittens Are Jerks said:

Perhaps I'm mistaken, but did she not immediately call authorities to report the sighting? If they were able to come quickly enough, they might have been able to capture it. Nothing scarier than having a crocodile roaming around, especially if there are children and pets in the area.

She took her time knowing it'd be back in a while.

[Buck Rolly]

The obvious question is why didn't she shoot video as opposed to just taking a picture? The answer is because it's not real and she knows this.

[Essan]

Well, well .....

Dad reveals 4ft ‘crocodile’ spotted lurking in back garden in Yorkshire is actually his son’s plastic TOY

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16211816/dad-crocodile-lurking-back-garden-yorkshire-sons-plastic-toy/

[dragon1440]

OpenMindedSceptic the way it works in this case is she probably thought her neighbors saw it to and would call, therefore she is a bystander. The group doesnt all have to be in same spot or know about the other. The important part is they assume someone else will do something. For instance in the rape and murder of Kitty Genovese, the original reason a study was done, they bystanders were not all in the same apartment and had no actual knowledge that anyone else heard it. They just assumed that their neighbors heard the screams and would call. Same thing here, she probably assumed neighbors saw it and would call. Espically as the rumor had been already going around the neighborhood previously.

[Essan]

I suspect what happened was she saw it, thought it amusing, took a photo, posted it to social media, and the tabloid press did the rest.

[MissJatti]

I probably go to whose garden it is just to make sure its not a toy or something first

[Jon the frog]

On 9/25/2021 at 9:58 AM, MissJatti said:

I probably go to whose garden it is just to make sure its not a toy or something first

I would probably try to catch it, always dreamed to have a croc big enough to eat the ******ng neighbors cats..

[aztek]

who said it was on a the loose, it is clearly seen in a picture, it is in an enclosed space, just outside the wall of her enclosed space, it is neighbors pet, nothing wrong with that.