Found: Chapter book about a boy and an escaped lion

I have a memory of reading this book in the late 70's as a child. I think even then it was dated.

The story was about a boy who tries to befriend an escaped lion (small chance it was a tiger) who escaped and was hiding in the hollow created by a fallen tree. I think it was injured. The boy would get scraps from the local butcher to feed it. I'm pretty sure it was a British book. I think there was an orchard in the story.

This has been eluding me for years. I've never been successful googling this.

Thanks so much.

The Runaways by Victor Canning has an escaped cheetah.

Possibly Lion at Large?

https://www.librarything.com/work/2005487/book/34484502

>3 Harry_Vincent: That's it, thank you so much.