Old Stinker

The following is based on reports covered in the DailyMail.com, with names changed to protect the innocent...

     May 15, 2016.  Kingston-Upon-Hull, England.
     Chris Wiggins waited at the back of the cathedral-like room, hearing the townsfolk telling their stories to any who'd listen.  The din of voices amazed him.  How could such stories rile all these people at once?  He thought it ridiculous, but the Council held the town hall meeting, nonetheless.
     The gavel sounded louder than the din of the room, which caught everyone's attention.  They all settled down as the lead Councillor began.
     'The town hall meeting is being held on the heels of sightings around the countryside of...' he stopped himself, not being able to bring himself to say what everyone was thinking.
     'It's Old Stinker, I tells ya,' said Brandon Starkweather, a local farmer and father of four.  'He's back and, if not stopped, could eat up all our livestock.'
     The legend of Old Stinker, which almost everyone in Yorkshire believed to be true, is about a great hairy beast with red eyes, who was so called because of his bad breath.  He would dig up corpses from graveyards, which took the form of werewolves, and because of this, townsfolk believed he and his minions are supernatural beings.
     As Wiggins stood at the back of the room, he shook his head at the mention of Old Stinker.  Rumors flew quickly in Yorkshire, and even more so in Hull.
     One woman stood, half crazed, and said, 'It was stood upright one moment.  The next it was down on all fours running like a dog.  I was terrified.  It vaulted 30 ft. over to the other side and vanished up the embankment,' referring to the man-made channel called the Barmston Drain, 'and over a wall into some allotments.'
     One man stood, his wife holding a nursing baby, and told his story.  'We saw something tall and hairy next to the channel.  It was eating a large dog, like a German shepherd.  Before we could take a picture, it jumped over an 8-foot high fence with the animal still in its jaws.'
     The room erupted, everyone trying to tell their story all at once.  Wiggins felt he needed to squelch this ruckus immediately, otherwise this unruly mob was liable to hurt someone.  But, before he could say anything, the lead Councillor pounded his gavel, settling everyone.
     One woman remained standing, seemingly very timid.  'I was walking with my dearest Oswald along the path through the Wolds, when I spotted something that looked half-dog, half-human.'  As she described it, she became a little more animated.  'Poor Oswald, no matter how much I tugged on his leash, he refused to take another step in that direction.  We had to turn back.'
     Wiggins felt this was his chance to speak up and gave a loud cough.  Everyone turned to see him raise his hand.
     'Pardon, Councillor,' he said respectfully.
     The lead Councillor recognized Wiggins as the Local Labour Councillor.  'Councillor Wiggins, you have the floor.'
     'Thank you, Councillor.'  Wiggins made his way up to the front of the town hall and addressed the citizens.  'To alleviate everyone's concern, I am will to offer my services in an effort to document all sightings by the public and report back to the Hull Council.  I will keep a running record in my journal of every incident in the region.'
     The lead Councillor thought it was a grand idea, but felt the task was too big for just one man.  He asked for volunteers to help Wiggins in tracking down the creature and organize a hunt on the next full moon, but only armed with cameras and nothing more.  Wiggins accumulated several volunteers, and he suddenly realized it would be difficult indeed to hide his identity... as Old Stinker.