The UK’s Bigfoot Files: Eyewitness Accounts Before the Hype

Matt Moneymaker is a self-proclaimed expert on Bigfoot research, widely recognised through his work on the television series "Finding Bigfoot." Despite his public profile and long-standing involvement in the field, Moneymaker has repeatedly stated that there is no Bigfoot in the UK, dismissing all reports as either misidentifications or fabrications. He’s also claimed that sightings in Britain only began after his show aired, implying they were sparked by media influence rather than genuine encounters.

But that claim doesn’t hold up. Strange sightings and encounters have been reported in the UK for decades, long before "Finding Bigfoot" hit the airwaves. Many of them share striking similarities with North American Bigfoot reports, yet they come from people with no reason to make things up.

Take the story of Jackie Haughton. In 1995, she was driving along the Cannock-Rugeley road in Staffordshire when a tall, hairy figure with glowing red eyes stepped into the road. She slammed on the brakes and watched as the creature crossed in front of her and disappeared into the trees. She described it as large, upright, and entirely covered in hair. It didn’t move like a person. And it certainly wasn’t any animal she recognised.

Three years later, in 1998, a group of four friends driving through the same area saw something crouched on the side of the road. As they passed, the figure turned its head and looked straight at them. One of the passengers later described it as nearly seven feet tall, broad, and coated in dark, matted hair. What unsettled them most wasn’t just the size or shape, but the calm, steady way it watched them without flinching.

In 2004, Alec Williams was walking near Castle Ring, an ancient hill fort surrounded by forest, when he heard a strange sound, an owl-like cry. Then he saw it, a tall creature with short, dark brown hair and glowing red eyes stepped out of the trees. It didn’t growl or run. It simply stared at him for several seconds before fading back into the woods. Alec stood frozen. Whatever it was, he said, it wasn’t human.

Even those who didn’t see the creature firsthand found unsettling clues. In 2006, Matthew Harrison stumbled upon the carcass of a deer deep in the woods. It had been stripped of flesh with a precision he found disturbing—no tearing, no dragging, just clean removal. No signs of scavenging, no evidence of natural predators. It was the kind of scene that left more questions than answers.

And this isn’t limited to Cannock Chase. In Cambridgeshire, stories of the Shug Monkey go back even further, long before modern television. Described as having the body of a shaggy black dog and the face of a monkey with glowing eyes, it was said to roam the lane between West Wratting and Balsham. The creature featured heavily in local folklore, with reports stretching back to before World War II. It wasn’t just a story, it was something people genuinely feared. Its legend alone is enough to dismantle the idea that all UK sightings came after American TV shows.

These stories, and many like them, came from people who weren’t chasing fame or fortune. In fact, most had little to gain by telling anyone what they saw. But they told their stories anyway, because something happened, something they couldn’t explain. One of the most striking early cases came from Salford in 1982, when 15-year-old Deborah Hatswell was skipping school with a friend in Buile Hill Park. What started as an ordinary afternoon turned into a life-changing moment. The two were relaxing when a sudden rustle came from the nearby bushes. Without warning, a massive, hairy figure thrust its head out from the foliage. Deborah described it as something between a man and an ape, its brow was thick, the eyes amber, the face deeply muscular. Its hair was dark brown with a reddish tint, and its teeth looked almost human. Frozen in fear, she pushed her friend aside and ran. When she looked back, she saw the creature turning and disappearing into the trees. Years later, she recalled how the creature didn’t seem aggressive, just as startled as they were. That single moment set her on a path to investigate similar encounters across Britain.
Another compelling report comes from a train passenger traveling between Exeter and Bristol. During the journey, the witness spotted a massive, black figure moving along the tree line in broad daylight. The creature was described as tall, humanoid, and powerful, with a heavy, deliberate gait. It didn’t run, but walked calmly into the woods as the train continued past. The sight was so unexpected and so out of place that it left the passenger questioning what they’d seen. It wasn’t a person. It wasn’t a known animal. And it didn’t seem to care that it had been seen.

In the world of paranormal research, whether it's ghosts, UFOs, or cryptids, there is no such thing as a true expert. If there were, we’d already have the answers. And until we do, every encounter, every voice, and every old story deserves to be heard. While none of the UK cases offer definitive proof, it’s worth remembering that Moneymaker’s show didn’t deliver that either. To ignore all the reports that came before the series aired, and then dismiss everything after as a byproduct of television influence, doesn’t reflect the open-mindedness or thoroughness you’d expect from a seasoned researcher, or expert.