A weekly newspaper in South London has solved the mystery of a man seen herding goats though the streets.
The saga of the Croydon Goat Man has been baffling residents in the borough since first emerging on Twitter earlier this month.
A commuter spotted the man walking four goats along a grass verge and published the picture on the microblogging site.
It was picked up by the Croydon Guardian which has now identified the man after appealing to readers to send in information.
The ‘Goat Man’ is revealed in this week’s edition of the Guardian as a 50-year-old IT specialist, Patrick Guilfoyle.
Mr Guilfoyle has converted his back garden into a farmyard and plans to breed the animals and sell them for meat.
Guardian asssitant editor Matthew Knowles said: “This story started as a Tweetpic last week after a commuter spotted the goat man on their way to work.
“We ran a web story that day and it picked up pace immediately. Reporter Hannah Williamson was contacted by over a dozen people who had spotted goat man all over Croydon.
“A couple of tip offs narrowed our search and our chief reporter Nick Hitchens got the scoop on Monday night.
“Stories like this are what local papers are made for. Forget the Leveson inquiry and celebrity tittle tattle, give me a goat man mystery every day.”
Sign up for our free daily email bulletin
Follow HTFP on Twitter
Got a story? Email the Editor at
Talk about milking a story for all its worth!!! Sorry, poor joke…. But I hope more local newspapers follow the Croydon Guardian’s lead…
Report this comment
But aren’t they worried about being the ‘butt’ of other people’s jokes?….
…*fetches coat*
Report this comment
Story’s like this really get my goat!
Report this comment
Comment’s (sic) like that really get mine.
Report this comment
No need to ram it down our throats
Report this comment
They must be kidding
Report this comment
Great story, but we’ve herd it all before.
Report this comment