The Beast of the A1075 – Route 81
Since 1979, drivers on the A1075 have reported seeing a terrifying creature, lurking on all fours by the side of the road. Descriptions of the beast send shivers down the spine: somewhere between a monstrous dog and a decaying bear, with a matted, rotting coat. Its large, reflective eyes seem to swallow the headlights of passing cars, and sharp, jagged teeth protrude from its fearsome jaws.
In 1986, a driver saw this creature standing still by the roadside one evening, gazing eerily between the road and the surrounding woods. The sight was so strange and so haunting that the driver circled back not once, but twice to get a better look. On the third pass, they slowed down, heart pounding, for a closer view. That’s when the beast turned, locked eyes with the driver, and stood up - on two legs. It was at least 7 feet tall. The driver, frozen in fear, watched as the creature retreated into the dense forest. Shaking, they pulled over, locking their car doors in terror.
Unable to sleep that night, the driver returned at dawn, determined to investigate the area before the road got busy. As they explored, every rustle of the leaves set their nerves on edge. Then, they saw it: drag marks, leading from the road deep into the woods. Without hesitation, they fled back to their car and sped away.
Could this monstrous figure be the infamous Black Shuck of Norfolk folklore, or some other cryptid that calls Thetford Forest home?