Tales Of Bigfoot The Hackney Marsh

Hackney Marsh encompasses over three hundred acres of protected common land. The River Lea, which flows through the Marsh, provides a significant green corridor to ameliorate the urban surround.

In Winter of 1981 two skinned and decapitated bears were discovered floating in the River Lea. To this day, their presence remains a mystery. Had they been wondering at large before their untimely death? What, or who killed them? One of the most common theories to explain bigfoot sightings is that of a misidentified bear.

Just weeks later, on 27th December, four young boys, led by thirteen year old Tommy Murray, came across large and unidentifiable animal footprints in the snow. Sometime later, the young explorers came across a creature they described as a ‘giant, great, growling hairy thing.’ It reared onto its hind legs and growled at the children, who fled in terror.

Over fifty police officers, army marksmen and helicopters combed the area. The authorities discovered three sets of bear like footprints, one set of which were on an island surrounded by a locked perimeter fence. Despite the curious footprints and the weird sighting, no creature was ever found. The police Chief Inspector who led the hunt was quoted as being confident that the boys were not making the story up. A bear, a bigfoot….or a hoax. Either way, that wasn’t to be the last hairy biped to terrify the residents of Hackney.

In 2012 university student Helen Murray (no relation to young Tommy Murray) was out walking in the Marsh when she spotted a hairy creature which she described as ‘larger than a person, and covered in black shaggy fur.’