'Monkey on the loose in Dorchester town centre'

9:00am Saturday 23rd March 2013 in Latest By Emma Walker

Terri Leigh Cox's photograph, which she says is of a monkey in Dorchester Terri Leigh Cox's photograph, which she says is of a monkey in Dorchester

A STUDENT claims to have seen a monkey on the loose in Dorchester.

Terri Leigh Cox, 17, captured a photo of the mystery creature from her window in Fordington.

She claims the ‘monkey’ scampered across Salisbury Fields and up a tree on Thursday afternoon.

Miss Cox, of Salisbury Mews, said: “It was such a shock I couldn’t believe what I was seeing at first.

“It was definitely a monkey because you could tell by its hunched back and the way it scampered across the field and up the tree.

“I managed to get a photo but it quickly went out of sight.

“I couldn’t see it very clearly but before I could get closer it had disappeared.”

The expectant mother, who is studying health and social care at Weymouth College, added that despite initial doubt from her family and friends, everyone who had seen the image admitted that it looked like a monkey.

She said: “I have no idea why a monkey would be on Salisbury Fields, it could have escaped if someone was keeping it as a pet.”

Many residents and dog walkers expressed their shock at the alleged sighting.

Jean Cumber, 80, who lives adjacent to the fields, added: “It does seem very strange but I would never say never about anything.

“I’ve never seen a monkey or anything like a monkey in Dorchester before.”

Derek Dodd, who walks his dog regularly in the area, said: “I have seen a lot of wildlife on these fields but a monkey-like creature isn’t one of them. “ Resident Rob Samways said: “I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for now, you never know what may happen.

“I suppose someone could have been keeping it as a pet and it escaped.”

Dog walker Lynn Jenkins added: “It’s not as strange as people who claim they have seen UFOs, so I’d never rule out that a monkey or something like it had been seen here.”

Miss Cox, who is eight months pregnant and lives with her boyfriend Shaun Bessant, said she would be keeping her eyes peeled for a second sighting of the primate.

Please let us know what you think below or email emma.walker@dorsetecho.co.uk

Comments(33)

marabout says...
10:00am Sat 23 Mar 13

A policeman stops a man in a car with a monkey in the front seat. "What are you doing with that monkey?" He exclaimed, "You should take it to the zoo." The following week, the same policeman sees the same man with the monkey again in the front seat, with both of them wearing sunglasses. The policeman pulls him over. "I thought you were going to take that monkey to the zoo!" The man replied, "I did. We had such a good time we are going to the beach this weekend!"

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DERRICK BENSON says...
10:03am Sat 23 Mar 13

Haha that's excellent, obviously an 'out of towner'! Would make an intriguing episode on monkey business...

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Is it me or is everything rubbish? says...
10:26am Sat 23 Mar 13

I am glad that they drew a big circle around the "monkey" as I would never have noticed it in the image.

Anyway, I bet it was not an actual monkey- it looks nothing like one, and what would a monkey be doing wandering around Dorchester?

I think that it looks more like an elephant.

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Artstudent says...
11:36am Sat 23 Mar 13

Dorch of the apes?

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terra firma says...
11:55am Sat 23 Mar 13

Perhaps it escaped from the Planet of the Apes a.k.a. DTFC Weymouth Avenue

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chesilboy says...
11:59am Sat 23 Mar 13

Unusual to see one north of Ferry Bridge. ;)

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shy talk says...
11:59am Sat 23 Mar 13

Perhaps a visitor from Hartlepool !!!!

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DucksQuack says...
12:38pm Sat 23 Mar 13

That's the last time I go to Fordington without my t-shirt on.

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17th Earl of Fortuneswell says...
12:54pm Sat 23 Mar 13

When it is caught I hope it gets a good spanking.

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tackleberry says...
1:04pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Thats one of DCC Highways staff

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CoogarUK.com says...
4:59pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Although I wouldn't categorically rule out the possibility, here's my tip for anyone else considering making a similar claim: Take a decent photo before seeking the publicity.

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wessex-andy says...
5:16pm Sat 23 Mar 13

We've seen better pictures of the Loch Ness Monster.

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poolepoole says...
5:44pm Sat 23 Mar 13

It was probably just a local

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mark@greenhill says...
6:09pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Quite far for one of the Vic Park residents to wander ?

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sunny1966 says...
8:09pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Sorry Echo, I fail to see where you have mentioned the Monkey in the Town Centre !!!!!!!!! Its a crying shame you have to sell news papers this way, tell the public and readers the truth, Fordington to me is not the town centre

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Bridders says...
8:18pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Probably looking for the box of T Bags it fell off of......

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bobby1966 says...
8:42pm Sat 23 Mar 13

rumour is he was running from costa as he had popped in for a latte but the service was so poor he was making a dash to another coffee shop before closing

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JamesYoung says...
9:28pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Four legs a tail and climbed a tree. Hmmm, no, couldn't be a cat could it. If it climbed a bloody tree wouldn't she have walked over and stood under the tree to get a better pic?
The picture could be a cat or a poodle. I don't think poodles climb trees, but then I don't think monkeys live in fordington.

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Dorsetdumpling says...
10:07pm Sat 23 Mar 13

wessex-andy says...
5:16pm Sat 23 Mar 13

We've seen better pictures of the Loch Ness Monster.





Aw! C'mon, she's not that bad.....

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popsiebabes says...
10:18pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Looks like my Mother in Law to me !!

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Parkstreetshufle says...
11:36pm Sat 23 Mar 13

I think it might be the alter ego of MP Richard Drax.

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misshls says...
11:45am Sun 24 Mar 13

CoogarUK.com wrote:
Although I wouldn't categorically rule out the possibility, here's my tip for anyone else considering making a similar claim: Take a decent photo before seeking the publicity.
yes so true! Next time get that darn monkey to sit and pose...........

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portlandboy says...
1:52pm Sun 24 Mar 13

Hunched back and near trees? Might be a planning officer taking a field trip. They really do need to invest in more ergonomically designed computer stations.

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Mr_Blue_Sky says...
3:49pm Sun 24 Mar 13

I knew iPhone cameras were pretty bad at taking snaps, but come on.....

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3rdAccount says...
12:27pm Mon 25 Mar 13

Oh dear, looks like they have already started to evict Littlemoor residents and they are moving to Dorchester.....could of at least put them up Poundbury

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Islandjim says...
12:35pm Mon 25 Mar 13

Terri Leigh Cox, “I couldn't see it very clearly". So monkey is the obvious conclusion! Cat, end of.

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tarka says...
3:52pm Mon 25 Mar 13

As a student i never got to see a monkey.
I had to make do with penquins flying around the room and faces leaping out the wallpaper.

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JamesYoung says...
10:37pm Mon 25 Mar 13

tarka wrote:
As a student i never got to see a monkey.
I had to make do with penquins flying around the room and faces leaping out the wallpaper.
I take it you belonged to the Young Labour Party?

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Hedgehogspring says...
1:55pm Tue 26 Mar 13

Why is the fact that she is an expectant mother relevant to this story in any way at all ?

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JACKC says...
7:54pm Tue 26 Mar 13

Looks like a three legged stool to me. (The kind you sit ... yes SIT on)

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Ted caine says...
4:31pm Wed 27 Mar 13

Obviously a council member late for a meeting.

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Throckape says...
11:36am Thu 28 Mar 13

chesilboy wrote:
Unusual to see one north of Ferry Bridge. ;)
Oi!! ;)

People commenting about the picture and whether it is a monkey or not..
What about the 'town centre' doesn't that ever so slightly look like a field..

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Howlin Wolf says...
8:18am Sat 13 Apr 13

So to get into the local rag these days you just need to have a grainy photo and then claim that is was a and you're in?

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