WESTFORD, MASS. (WHDH) - Vanessa Bellitti backed into her home in Westford, just as a black bear walked through her yard.

Her twin three-year-old boys saw it all.

“Mommy was inside the house,” said one of the boys, “and mommy was shaking in the house.”

Claw marks and the now broken swing the bear landed on when it came over the fence are just some reminders of the afternoon visit last Friday.

“He saw us,” said Vanessa, “and started coming towards us, he wasn’t aggressive, wasn’t growing, but still.”

State environmental police Sgt. Mark Brighenti believes the bear is about 100 pounds and right about two-years-old.  And he points out that in the pictures Vanessa took, you can see there is a yellow tag on the bear’s left ear, meaning he has had an encounter with wildlife officials before.

Vanessa’s home is surrounded by neighbors and a fence encircles the yard. But with bear sightings on the rise, and this one spotted right where her boys play, she will be even more cautious now.

 

 

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