Daniel Barnett is a remarkable young man. At the age of 14, he has decided to take on the current populist belief in Bigfoot, both in the United States and, more importantly, in the United Kingdom. People have been claiming that there is a British Bigfoot for many years. There is certainly a recurrent Fortean phenomenon which appears to be a humanoid giant. Our ancestors called them woodwoses.

I know that these things exist. I have seen one. In January 2003 an immensely tall figure ran between two marked trees in Bolam Lake Forest in Northumberland. I was one of five people that saw it. What exactly it is I still don't know.

Daniel has taken it upon himself to recruit a team of like-minded individuals, and to utilise modern technology and the scientific method to investigate these, the most intangible examples of modern cryptozoology. Whether he will succeed, none of us know, but he has already garnered some remarkable results.

This is his story, and it is also the story of his remarkable family, who have encouraged him every step of the way. What is going to happen next? I have no idea, but I can't wait to find out.

Jonathan Downes,

Director, Centre for Fortean Zoology,

February 2024