The biggest Caterpillar in the world?

I'm loathe to start a new thread requesting a insect ID but I don't think I've ever seen one of this size, 40-45mm, before. While I've only seen it by torchlight, the first/top image is the closest match.

I've looked online but the closest name I have is the Large Yellow Underwing, the Heart and Dart moth or a Cutworm?

 

Is it maybe a young hawk moth caterpillar? The elephant hawk moth ones get REALLY big - but they have distinctive fake eyes.

 

I agree CarolineL, looks very much like a youngish Hawkmoth caterpillar. Greenknees, you might find this site useful in identifying it further:
wildlifeinsight com british-caterpillar-galleries british-moth-caterpillar-galleries-3/

Sorry, can't post links yet, but what I've given you should let you get there.

 

Thxs peeps. I can't really google as it's a android phone.

I wonder what its been eating to get that big? I haven't noticed plants denuded of a lot of foilage? I put the top of a plastic bottle over 2x 3-5in seedlings/plantlings to keep them safe, and had inadvertently trapped 2 young caterpillars in there with them, they stripped those in a handful of days... so this thing???

 

We had two Elephant Hawk Moth caterpillars last year and they were huge . Apparent the eggs are laid on Fuchsias and we have two big hardy ones in our garden along with lots of frost tender ones as well. They are fascinating crawlies and beauty Moths to watch!!

 

Just quickly found this link ,that might be of interest to you @Green Knees .
I'm off to sort out my poor greenhouse now...****** winds!!!

Elephant hawk-moth | The Wildlife Trusts

 

I had some Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillars here some years ago ...







Did yours look like this @Upsydaisy? I think they are so funny ... and cute!

 

• They were like this one Vicky.

 

Ah, I see my little rubber critters were very young ...

Elephant Hawk-moth and caterpillar | Wildlife Insight