Unknown Large Caterpillar/Larvae?

[Enirehtac]

Last week (first week of June, Northern Ireland) while doing some gardening and getting rid of weeds in the gravel, I found a caterpillar or larvae underneath the layer of grass growing in the gravel. It was extremely fast, large, and looked vicious. It quickly sought protection in our wall made of large loose stones and after a while of poking about it finally came out again and I put it in a jar to look at it closer.
After looking in our wildlife book that's about 20 years old and looking on the internet without hope, I've decided to settle it and ask on here.

Here is a few pictures of the gruesome looking thing:





Thanks for any help, much appreciated!

[healfdan]

As you have had no success at trying to ID this caterpillar perhaps this will help.
I think you have what gardeners commonly refer to as a cutworm. It is the larvae (caterpillar) of a moth which destroys plants by cutting them off at the base. Not sure just which moth, as there are several whose larvae are called cutworms. Might be an idea to google 'cutworms found in the UK' and take it from there. Incidentally cut worms always curl into a C shape when prodded. Hope this is of some use.
Healfdan

[Za]

I like the description *vicious*, a word under used when describing caterpillars I think

[Enirehtac]

Funny you should mention the curling up thing because when it was poked, it did curl up into a 'c' shape. I looked on the internet and read some stuff about them and I can say that the term 'vicious' was well used this time.

Thanks for all the help.