Wolfman’s ‘lair’ discovered

Oct 10 2010 by Rachael Misstear, Wales On Sunday

THE hunt for a West Wales “wolfman” is back on – after walkers stumbled across what is thought to be his lair.

The unknown vagrant – dubbed the Wolfman after years of living wild in Carmarthenshire woods – was linked to a spate of food and clothing thefts from a village last year.

So far police have caught nothing more than glimpses of the straggly figure, as he evaded capture in the woods around Pantyffynon tips near Ammanford.

But officers from the Dyfed-Powys force this week confirmed they are looking into possible fresh sightings after walkers reported stumbling across a woodland shack stuffed with food, clothes and electrical equipment.

Builder John Jones, 43, who lives in Pantyffynon, said the new development was the talk of the area.

“We’ve been told that some walkers found a tin shed full of food and clothes, so we assume that is one of his hideouts,” he said.

“Lots of people have been looking for where he is, but the woodland is so dense it’s not an easy place to search.

“There have been one or two sightings of this longhaired, bearded person who is so scruffy and unkept, he’s like a wild man.

“Last year people started saying how their milk was disappearing and food was taken from freezers in out-buildings.

“When one of the villagers spotted a man creeping around outside her house and saw him steal her milk that made people nervous and the police got involved.

“Since then there’s been lots of odd sightings of him and more milk has gone.”

David Thomas, a carpenter from Tycroes, said: “A lot of the lads around here have seen him. He’s scruffy with dirty clothes and lots of dark hair.

“I was working at a site near the woods once and saw him hiding in the hedge. I think he was watching us, I have no idea why. It’s all very strange.”

The sightings have even sparked a bizarre paranormal investigation – into the possibility of a werewolf on the loose.

Gwilym Games, regional representative for Wales for the Centre for Fortean Zoology — an organisation dedicated to the investigation of unknown and out of place animals — said: “There is a long history of werewolves in Wales and even an earlier mention in the Amman valley.” But his search proved fruitless.

“I turned up very little during my hunt. I did manage to talk to a couple of locals but they dismissed it as just a tramp.”

It is thought the figure may have lived in the wild for up to four years, but only turned to crime after a harsh winter.

Inspector Paul Williams, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “We have had a report from a member of the public and we are now following that up with officers making enquiries.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/10/10/wolfman-s-lair-discovered-91466-27439597/