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If you have seen a big cat tell us about your sighting. Were you scared? How close was the creature to you? Where was it? What did it look like?

Angie from Hibaldstow
07/09/09 11.30am Hibaldstow, Ancholme/Wolds region of Lincolnshire.I was simply having a conversation with my builder; my front is on view of the mass of fields. These fields have plenty of game birds, rabbits and hares more so than anywhere I have known before.As I was talking I thought I was seeing things, and the builder thought I was imagining things. It was a black cat about the size of a black Labrador with its tail tip touching the ground and its head firmly to the ground I quickly ran to the front to see if I was imagining things to see if it was someone’s dog. There was no dog or cat around – so I must have been right I saw the black cat of the Wolds.That’s broad daylight with noise from the builders which obviously didn’t deter this creature when it is hungry; I’m going to be on my guard from now on.

Joseph H - Sleaford
I swear two weeks ago I sore what I believe to be a big cat. I was traveling along the A153 (East towards Sleaford) at just after 10pm on Thu 27th Aug 2009. I travel on this road frequently. As I approached the forested area (just before Thorpe Drive), I saw a large creature (too big to be a fox) with a large tail, it ran so quickly across the road! It’s presence nerved me! It wasn’t very tall but very long. Sadly I can’t describe it’s colors/further presence as my lights aren’t very good on my Moped. No one else was on the road at the time, and it was a cold night, with overcast, yet a little moon light came through. Has anyone else had any sightings in the area recently?

Olly from scunthorpe
I was walking down on bottesford beck with my girlfriend around april this year, it was sunset so must have been after 8 at least and when i looked down past the telicom tower, to see a massive creature walking pretty quickly over the field and down in the wood. i instantly thought it was a cat, but then my common sense said it must be a large dog, but there were no owners around and as i caught my lsst glimpse it defianately was more cat like then anything else.

Keith from ropsley
Tonight driving back from Grantham, a large dark couloured big cat bigger than a rottweiler dog pounced into Ropsley woods, i had to have a second look to make sure it wasnt a dog, but it was definatly what looked like a panther, this was @ 9pm.

Graham Neal
i was playing golf at Boston west Golf Club at 7.30pm on Sunday 2nd Aug,when i pointed out an animal approaching aprox 100 yards away, initially i thought it was a very Dark fox,but as it got closer it was clearly a cat,very dark almost black with a long tail and pointed ears.As the cat approached some dense shrubs with an abundance of rabbits it lowered its body into a stalking stance and continued to move very slowly, we then left our bags and walked towards it and we got to aprox 40 yards before it moved into the bushes. There is no question that this was a cat, much larger than any domestic cat. Perhaps someone may know what type?

Scott
I have not directly encounted a 'big cat' but recently one of my auntys lambs was killed and another seriously injured, the one that died had been dragged over a fence. The vet said this could of been a dog, the same thing happened a few months earlier in the same village, would a 'big cat' of done this?

j f
July 20th 2009, approximately 3.15 pm. Walking with son and dog near Holton Le Moor train track Lincolnshire. Walked over train bridge into field and my son spotted something going into woods, I looked and saw large dark cat like animal, very long thick tail. We both thought it was a large cat - maybe a panther? Large body and tail too long to be a domestic cat, walked into woods to see which way it went but undergrowth was too tall to see anything. We were excited and scared. Cannot say exactly how close we were to this animal, approximate guess would be about 50 feet away from us.

Charles Morgan
I was driving back from Tetney towards Waltham at 20:15 and about 100yrds past the golf driving range a cat the size of a normal dog ran across the road in front of me, it was quite slim, but it's tail gave away that was a cat. Maybe not a panther, but what else could it be?

Tom, from Derby
This past weekend on Sunday the 5th July whilst waiting to enter the airshow at RAF Waddington, I and my family and friend saw a large black animal run across the road between the waiting cars. The time was 10.45 and was in broad daylight. I'm not saying that this is a definitive sighting as I could not see the features as it was very quick. The creature was large, around the size of a large dog, quite a lot larger than a fox, it was coloured black and had a long tail, I did not notice a collar though it was around 100 yards away. It ran from right to left across the road near Waddington and left from a field with tall grass and entered a wooded area on the opposite side of the road. I looked for an owner but didn't see anyone and the question that crossed my mind was that why would a dog owner, someone walking their dog perhaps allow their beloved pet to run at full speed across a busy road with lots of cars and not even go after it?Tom

chris
just seen a large (6 to 7 ft) on the high dyke at leadenham heath,she had 3 cubs in tow! watched for about 30 secs and then they were gone. i saw one very much the same in laughton woods about 10 years ago.

Charlotte Brigg.
in Brigg Last year i was sat in my bedroom and heard the dog going completly irate, i looked out the window and caught a glimpse of a big black tail swinging in the air about 12 ft away from me, i kept looking until i saw what seemed to appear like a black panther it was larger than a cat or dog, completly black with short stuck up ears and piercing yellow eyes. later on that day my brother ran home form school claiming to have seen the exact same object with his friends walking in a near by feild.. later on in the week sightings of the animal were all in the news-papers and pictures people managed to take... this was no big dog or cat.

Lisa
I was just walking my dogs with my daughter in Burgh Le Marsh and spotted a large cat walking across a sports field. It was a tabby colour but was much larger than a usual cat (probably the size of a fox but most definatley feline due to it's long tale that it was moving like a cross cat.) It was quite a distance away from us.

Joe, Lisa, Andy and Jane. Ancaster near Sleaford
Me (Joe) and my partner Lisa were walking the dogs towards woodys on the sands. On the return leg there are the "Moor Closes" to the right of the sands. As i looked in a Saw a Big Black Cat Sat down, And a sandy coloured Cat laid within Feet of it. I stopped dead and pulled Lisa back to look. The cats did see us but did'nt seem to be that phased by us. Lisa very shaken pulled me away and we hurridly went back to my mothers(jane). I grabbed my camara from the Car and returned to the field with Andy. We were stood at the enterance to the moors and we saw laid lown the sandy cat. We continued round and saw the Black Cat. I took some photos and it seemed to stop and look at us. It then went towards the enterance to the moors. We continued around to the Gate and it was about 25yards away. i took some more photos. it then proceded to come towards us and to the bushes to the left of us. Me and Andy then at a hearty pace, went. The cat was 3 to 4 times the size of a domestic cat. Very low to the ground, and seem to be stalking for rabbit in the long grass. We got a very good look at it. The photos are not fantastic because the light was fading and i had to zoom in. There have been quite alot of sightings in this area. But this Cat was not your bog-standard house cat, both were huge.

jamie cartwright
i ve just seen something big and cat like , same size as amid size fox ,faun/brown body ,dark/black paw -tail ends ,thick tail ,not a brush,strong straight legs and compact body , good looking animal cat type arrogance . collie dog gave chase as it gracefully slid into a in flower rape field ,rather glad they didnt meet up , it was preening and we approached in full light with the sun behind ,dont know about big cats but mid size ones definately exist in lincs 7.05.09

Linz
One very late night (2001) i was driving over the motorway bridge from Messingham to Scunthorpe when i noticed a very large black shape crouched down in the midle of my lane. My friend and i screamed and i slammed the brakes on. When we checked if we were ok we looked at the road but it was empty.At the time we thought it was a large dog that had maybe been hit by a car and oked about the 'Panther' that we hear rumours about but after reading these comments maybe it wasn't our imagination as we have thought over the years.

TJ
I live in Kirton Lindsey and have travelled through Laughton Woods many times and though I have heard these stories I have not seen the "Panther". My story is about a sighting made by myself 5 years ago in Twigmoor Woods near Scunthorpe.One night while driving home (it would have been 10pm approx) I decided to cut through Twigmoor Woods when a family of deer ran in front of my car, they looked like they were fleeing. I thought nothing of this until I came to a layby just before the S bend. I pulled over because I saw a large dog and thought maybe someone had abandoned it at the side of the road. When my headlights lit it up though, it was a white or a very pale wolf and it was eating something there in front of me. I froze and started shaking and quickly drove off home, in all this time the wolf never moved. When I got to my friends house they took one look at me and asked what happened. I explained and even though they did not believe I had seen a wolf they say I definitely saw something because of the state I was in.I have never heard of anyone else spotting it but would be curious to know if anyone has. I know what I saw and look out for it when I drive through there but I have never seen it again.

lol
it would be awsome to see a wild big cat

Jess
Do you really believe big cats are in the UK? I hope so.

Jack, Grimsby
I have seen a 6ft long black cat which i thought was my dog in the nearby fielded in North Wales. It was stalking something. To my horror i heard a story about sheep being killed a few weeks before. 5 years later in cornwall about 200m away from my tent i saw the exact same shape.

Garry
After reading the Daily Mails reports of the snow storms currently covering the country i came across the report of giant footprints found in the snow at Binbook Airfield in Lincs (Sat Feb7 2009) I used to live in this area and about 1992/3 was walking with my two young children around the airfield,i spotted what can only be described as a black panther like creature about 100m away we all stood still as did this big cat. After a few seconds it turned nonchalantly away and headed for the undergrowth. This was in the days before the internet but after reading about the prints in this weeks Mail i came across this website and was amazed at just how many people share my experience.

Steven Bourne
I was perousing the local newspaper as i strolled on the commute to my college (Franklin College). I heard a rustling in nearby bushes, so i went to inspect. My instincts led me into a field in which i spotted something most unusual. It was not a cat, it was a mighty panther! The beast was the size of a small, infantile elephant, with mighty claws, rippling muscles and red eyes that shone with a burning hatred for all man-kind. I fled the scene hoping that the beast had not noticed me, luckily it was the case. My experience taught me to be ever-vigilant of this local legend and not to underestimate it's power, strength, speed, agility, mighty claws, camoflague capabilities and deadly instincts, excetera...excetera... I hope that all reading this will never have such a traumatising experience.

Jo
It wasn't actually me who saw the big cat, it was my mums friend. He said he saw it near Sutton Bridge In early December. He described as a black labrador, but it moved like a cat.

Arwel Rowlands
I am a wheelchairr user and back in july 2008 I drove up to kingthorpe in lincolnshire. I got out of the car and went for some excersise along a path surrounded by woodland. The place kind of gave the creeps as it was in the middle of nowhere and full of wild fowl, which reminded me of mini dinosaurs!.. anywayafter about 20 mins I noticed a large animal cross the path about 100 metres in front of me, the size of a very large muscular dog, but long and black. I carried on pushing along the path armed with a small stick! (what I was planning to do with that stick I don't know). I didnt see anything more and headed back, after which I did some research and found similar sightings in the area, so I believe it was likely the same big cat that everyone else has spotted!

kevin monaghan
whilst driving to work on mon 6th of october 2008 at about 7am, from lincoln to sheffield, due to road works and not being able to get on the a1, i took a diversion towards retford, going past retford airport in the distance i saw a black panther crossing the road it was an amazing sight completley gob smacked me

mark
In 2006 onthe way to Horncastle from Woodhall spa a large cat like creature lurked across the road about 150 meters in front of the car. It was large and black and padded with its body held low to the ground

Alan Howard
It was the morning of the 29th August 2008. I was just embarking on my journey to the Gambia in West Africa to visit my wife. My daughter had dropped at Bedford train station in time to catch the train to Gatwick just after 5am. After only a few minutes of my journey I spotted a large black shape in a field off to the right. I could really only see the top edge - the outline of the back of what appeared to be something about the size of a large dog. It was definitely not a fox, or rabbit or domestic cat - it was too large. Having caught my and captured my curiosity I continued looking as the train passed by and then was shocked and excited when a large tail lifted up above the crops and flicked and curled in that very distinctive way! Almost at the same instant I saw the creature lift its left leg and crane its head forward as if it was sniffing or investigating something in the foliage in front of it. There was a flash of recognition and excitement as I said to myself, "it's a big cat - I've actually spotted the big cat!" I turned around wanting to alert my fellow passengers as to what I had seen - but of course by now the field and its occupant were no longer in view. Rather than rant excitedly to strangers who would not be able to verify my claim, I kept my mouth shut and just phoned my daughter to tell her instead. I had to let soemone know. I think the next station along from Bedford is Flitwick(?) and the big cat was in the last corn field on the right just before you enter the station. How strange and ironic I thought - to spot a big cat in Bedfordshire whilst en route to Africa!

Steven Bourne
I was on my bike to college when i saw a large black cow sized cat run uo to me and stare me in the face with red eyes. I was terrified and missed college that day!

K A B
i was fishing 14 aug 08 at priory lakes ruskington at about 07.10hrs i heard somthing in the bushes i thought it was rabbit at first & never thought much more about it till heard a growling noise then suddenly came out.it looked at me & i did the same it had been eating what looked to be a small dear then it went to have a drink out of the lake it didnt seem to be frightened but i tell you i was.we both looked at each other we was about 40ft between us it turned away & then went what a relief.it was very large & black pantha. hopefully the photo will come out ok.

Chris Heaton
I work on a local newspaper ,and whilst doing our usual thursday morning deliveriesmy colleague and i had leftNorth Thoresby and were heading towards Tetney , when what i can only descibe as a huge black cat walked hurridly across the road next to the fishing ponds,and diappeared into the bushes along the border of a field , we stopped to see if the huge black cat could be seen in the field,sadly we couldn't see it. dated 3/07/08 at 6.10amthis huge black cat was the size of a lage dog was certainly not a domestic cat.

Jim Osbourn
My sister lives in Alford and says she has seen a large black cat on the Industrial Estate at Station Road. The area there is rife with rabbits so it has plenty of food ther.

Lesley
I prefer to call the cat panthro rather than Lyndsey

Jessica
All those storys sound amazing I wish I could have a experiance like that

cat ballou
A beautiful black leopard walks right up to me, my friend stares the cat directly in the face. We then see Bruce my friend with my staffie, Jasper in tow, walking through the countryside near swinderby holding the tail of the black leopard whom he names panthee.

Paul Robertson
I was driving home on the causeway in bardney when a huge black dog, well the size of a cow with bright red eyes, right at my window. i spun out and carried on driving. i was very shaken up!!. but the strange thing is i was told of a ledgend of a black dog around these parts just as i had described it,and this was before i had any knowladge of this myth.

dave
i was walking my staffi in scawthorpe doncaster and when walking alongside a field i saw a black cat the size of a large dog it definetley wasnt a dog and it was grabbing around the air for the bird flying over head, !how bizzare

naomi jane
i saw black cat the size of a rottwiler at the farm were i keep my horse it was pouncing around in and out of the bushes imy horse and others galloped around in fear i tryed to get close but it ran of in to busses. in northampton i am a member of bcib

Mrs M Birks
We have seen the big black cat about the size of a labrador in height and length, very black with a dense almost fluffy coat, with an extremely long, curled tail. It was off the A52 on the road to Welby , South Kesteven, at 20.55, 12/4/08. It was about 20 feet of our car and was not worried by the car headlights. It seemed to slinking across the road in a crouched position and went through the hedge into the field. My husband and I are thrilled to have seen it. There are certainly loads of rabbits and deer in this area.

gary marshall
if like me you are lucky enough to come across one of these beutiful beasts in our beutiful countryside, then do the decent thing and shoot it!*****WITH A CAMERA!!!,these beasts should be given the protection and right to live here now,its not there fault!,give then a chance to prove themselves!, there are no accounts of human fatalities,so why all the fuss over a few livestock kills!,i do accept that they are extremely dangerous animals!,but lets face it there just as bad things roaming the streets on a saturday night!,dont you agree?,plus careless dangerous dog owners!,we must accept them as part of our countryside!,there here to stay!

kevin brown
i was drivin on A15 at sleaford bypass at 06.35 in march 08 i thought it was a big black dog then i realised it was big black cat its not the first time i have seen it.got a photo of it on my mobile.

louise wolsthenholme
i was on the train from nottingham to grantham and out the window in a close field a large cat which my immediate aaumption was a panther due to its size. that was 26th march around 17.15

chris haines
i was working on my mums allotment in monkspath, solihull. when something caught my eye at first i thought it was a black dog but the way it was moving was very cat like.it walked by woods at i atched it for about 15 seconds im sure it was some sort of large black cat

Al
It was 0120 in the morning on 15 Mar 08 and I was driving along the A17 south towards Cranwell and just past the turnoff for Leadenham a large black panther looking cat crossed the road from left to right, paused and stared at my car as I passed it!

Scott Lipscombe
I have seen the large black cat in werrington, peterborough around 2 years ago. It had just got light at 5.30 in the morning. Definate sighting. I have studied animals and know my stuff. It wandered away from me and the area. I was shocked and excited by seeing it. There have been a lot of sightings in that area. It is definetly around. There was a positive sighting of it a few months ago.

ben
me and my dog go for walks all over waddington and one of the days we saw a large black creature that looked like a oversized cat, but at that moment my dog went bezerk and he barked at it and his eyes reflected into my torch and it simly scrambled away before i could get a proper look at it.

Mark Kynman
I grew up in waddingham and lived there for 19 years. i regularly used to walk between snitterby and waddingham and both myself and many of my friends had seen a large black cat or dog which stood a good foot above the height of a car bonnet. interestingly on the same stretch of road many people reported oncoming headlights which simply dissapeared.

Ali Brown
large black panther like cat seen running across road near caistor lincs

pam
I would like to report a sighting of a large brownish cat like creature in Goxhill area, jan /08 seen in the early hours on my way to work, jumping out infront of my car,It jumped out into the lane and jumped back into the hedge on the otherside. This is not one of the normal foxes or domestic cats. It was the size of a large dog but moved like a cat. The face was square like not pointed like a dog.

Madeleine Gildea
I saw a big black cat in Lancashire

shanine and beau
yes i have also seen the cat it is huge and scary i wanted to get closer but i was to scared to

Harish Sharma
Tonight (at 00:15), I saw a large cream/white big cat, possibly a leopard, run at speed across the 3 lanes of the A46 in front of my car and came within a split second of getting run over by me.14/1/08

damien sturman
i was driving to work early in the morning as i passed through fenton near gainsbourgh isaw a large black cat cross the road .This was definatly no dog .

lewis wiles
i saw what had to be a panther on mareham lane just outside sleaford in fact it really was it couldnt have been anything else it was large and black and had a long tail.

Simon Wright
Can confirm this is the Lindey leopard

mark crouch
i saw a very large black cat close to me when walking my dogs 23/12/07is for real i belive in the sightings now.

James Chantry - Gainsborough
December 3rd 2007. We were driving down Laughton Lane, near Gainsborough in the car, and 2 big black animals caught our eye in the middle of a field. We reversed the car, got out, and watched. There were 2 big jet black cats! One ran away, and the other stood and looked at us before running off!

Tim Simmons
Whilst driving to work 7 weeks ago, along the A46,towards Market Rasen, I noticed something reflecting in my headlights. As my car continued nearer, I could make out that the reflection were eyes. My initial thought was it was a dog loose from a nearby house, but as I slowed down, i could tell whatever it was was larger than a dog, and as I passed the beast slinked into th woods. I am sure that it was a large black cat.

craig
me and my friend we are only 13 we were walking through west bank dock at about 11.00 when are large black cat ran out of a bush it stopped and looked at us me and my friend started crying we told his nan straight away

christina
oct 5 2007 my friend woke up and went to the barn to feed the animals. where he then noticed 2 of his chickens were dead. he took a close look to at them and saw on the neck there were 2 fang marks on both of them. so he started to walk a little bit through the woods when he saw something big like it was a german shepard size but it was black. As he walked closer he saw a figure of a black big cat with ears standing up. Then he got scared and ran and told the neighbor and he said "i told you i seen one of them things" this happened in harford county in whiteford,md

c""""and s""""
we were doing our homework in our study when we saw a strange figure of somekind it looked like a huge cat the biggest cat that i had ever seen near our home,when we looked closer we saw that it was more than just your average house cat this looked like a cat from the wild it was black and really big it looked like a panther or something we didnt really know for sure but what we did know was to report what we saw imeadiatly to people who could find out what to do about this wierd animal we found.this large black cat was spooted in boston,linconshire near a large field by a brand new open development called ro"""""" mea"""" t was spooted on the 28th october 2007 17:00pm

Dude
Itlooked like a big over grown cub of some sort.It was about 50 feet ahead of me, but when i slowed down to about 10 he ran away.I was a little scared but i though it was just a big cat.

Darren Holdich
a friend of my girlfriend was traveling home on the train at dusk last night,between lincoln and Metheringham and spotted a black panther, as clear as a bell.19,sept,07

Jed Riley
Interesting to see if anyone else saw a big black cat at the side of the north bound side of the A46 at Swinderby on Tuesday 18th Sep.

dave bramley nuneaton
with so many traffic accidents involveing wild animals it be only a matter ov time before one ov these big cats or something what i saw gets dun.it is a fact that dangerous animals have been released into the countryside an its been good fortune upto now that no adult or kids have been attacked. i work with a dog an know the working parameter limits ov a german shepherd. a big cat could be a deadly encounter. being stalked is a nerve racking experience . my advice as a dog handler is iff ya seen it do not go out looking with a camcorder an never try to track it with a dog. to give u an idea wot u faceing is this. muscle tissue of a large german shepherd on pound for pound against human tissue is 5 times stronger and around 9 stone in weight. so imagine wat yo up against with an african derived wild cat that climbs trees an takes zeebras an gazzels down for dinner. stay safe.

Darran Steele
sat in my study with wife and saw a cat the size of a large dog, silverish/pale fur looking like a lynx? in my back garden

dave bramley nuneaton
observerd 2 large silver wolf like dogs gibralter point area have a large german shepherd myself.these were big. reported location to warden. happened last summer. also same year got stalked by something big while with dog same location .was no fox either

Robert Robinson
Sighting of Large Black Cat in Laughton Woods Nr Gainsborough Lincs. This Cat was Much bigger than a domestic Cat with tufts on its ears very long tail and was very long and sleek.

Stephen Roe
travelling by car to an early morning clay pigeon shoot, i saw a man and two dogs on leads. they were stood on the side of the road on a bend that i was approaching. once round the bend i noticed another dog imitating that of a black labrador in size. it walked towards me and my car around 50yards away. i thought it was another dog belonging to the man id just seen, however this dog walked with a sloppyness with hunched shoulder blades. it suddenly turned across the road revealing its true shape and long majestic tail, of that i now believe to be a black cat. this sighting was in aslackby near Bourne Town, Lincolnshire. 5/8/07

kate and Gregory Hoyes
Large black cat sighted behind Bardney primary school in meadow 9pm larger than domestic cat

Nigel Stevens
Two years ago we took the kids for a day out at Belton House near Grantham lincolnshire. At the end of the day as the visitors left we walked back from the childrens play area in the woods to the car park. Some of the kids were ahead of me when there was a disturbance in the undergrowth out of my line of site. As I walked on the kids ran up very excited/frightened and said that a large black lion like cat had walked out onto the path unaware that it was only a few yards from the children. It suddenly became aware and slid away into the undergrowth.The chldren said it was bigger than a large labrador and looked directly at them and was without doubt a puma or similar large cat.This animal must have been resting up in undergrowth a few yards from a packed out childrens play area and only broke cover when it thought eveyone had left.

Nowhere-fast
we were lost in the wolds, somewhere nr binbrook, when eyes appeard in the road, scared i slammed on my breaks... it was too little for a dear, and too big for a cat, the thing approached our car and did not look tamed, it was definately not a dog, it was too low in its structure, too broad paws, what ever it was ... its scared us half to death.

Brett Dixon
On the way to work in skegness, saw it at Gunby round about it was probably less than 50 meters away, jumped accros the road, probably touched the road 3 times it was a medium sort of dog size black with a long tail and moved incredibly fast, 100% wasnt a dog or a normal cat, no way it was big!

Willem van Wyk
Saturday night, 30th of June 2007I was driving west on the A16 just past Deeping St Nicholas and a cat crossed the road about 50m in front of me. It was raining but visibility was clear. I saw this large cat and then noticed the distinct tail. The cat had a sandy colour which also seemed slightly red – this could have been because it was wet from the rain. The size and colour of this cat, with its distinct tail cause me to believe I saw a puma, cougar or mountain lion (all different names for the same family)

razza
i saw a jet black what looked like a panther in tetney n.e lincs i saw it it stared at me and walked of slowly but i was with my mates and i just leg it before it got me !!! it was scary and it had sorta red eyes but this was at night

Jill Ramsden
i was scared because my son was in the car and it was bigger than him who is 10 we were going down louth road and near the disused railway when we stopped and saw it it glared at usit was black/brown and had scary green eyes

Lucy Bannister
My grandad has seen a few sightings of black panthas/ a black pantha over the years near his farm in Langham, Rutland. In 2001 me and my family were driving past a small school in Grantham. It had a small field area as part of the playground, and I thought I saw a big black dog-like animal, but it looked too big to be a dog...

Matt
I allways take my dog for a walk around 5pm im 13, the past couple of weeks ive seen this cat and got a few pictures of it ive shown them to my mates at school and dont really know what to do with them, it is i guess like a panther thing is bigger than my dog lengh ways and taller by a margin(husky dog). What shall i do if i see it again?

Col
I saw a large puma at the railway bridge down Ings Lane in Kirton Lindsey back in July 1994. It was about 8 in the evening and I was with a group of friends. It climbed out of the irrigation ditch onto the road , at first we thought it was a german shepherd because of its size, then we saw the profile as it started to walk across the road. It must have been about 2 -2.5m long nose to tail, hunched shoulders, jet black and I particularly remember the size of its paws, they were huge. We were about 20m away from it when it stopped and turned to face us. That's when we stopped dead. It sniffed the air, stared at us for what seemed like 5 minutes and then jumped across the irrigation ditch on the other side of the road and continued walking along the railway embankment towards Gainsborough. It gave the impression that it wasn't particularly fussed that we were there and certainly didn't run away, it just walked away slowly. It was at this point that we ran like hell in the opposite direction!I've read stories over the years about these sightings, I think it travels along the railway routes hunting for food and injured animals.It was a fantastic experience looking back.

Michael D Lincoln
Coming back from notts along the a46 to lincoln, I was approaching thorpe on the hill at around 6 am. I saw a large black cat with a long slender tail run into the middle of the road and then in a split second jump over the central reservation and into a nearb field.

Kate
1st January 2004. 8am on a clear frosty morning. Swineshead Bridge, Boston. We were out walking on our friend's farm when we saw a large black cat chasing a hare. It was at least 3ft high with a long black tail and could swerve and stop on a hairpin. Our farmer friend told us he has seen a similar big cat on numerous occasion over the years.

Michelle Ray
I saw the cat whilst schooling my horse in Grayingham last year by the church in the paddocks next to it. Several people in Grayingham have also seen the cat.

jan
I was phoned by a friend in Louth about 3yrs ago, he had been out in his garden overlooking farm and woodland when he saw a big cat. It chased two ponies round the field, and attacked them.He shouted and disturbed it, called the estate manager but by the time they arrived with a gun it had disappeared.

Malcolm Drewery
I live in a farmhouse situated between the villages of South Reston and Great Carlton, near Louth. Close to the house is a small tree plantation. On Tuesday 17th April 2007 at approximately 9.45am I was looking through my office window when I saw a big cat walking slowly through the plantation. It was about 75 yards away and was in view for about twenty seconds or so. As big, or slightly larger than an Alsation dog, it was a mottled grey in colour (like a Tabby cat) and had a long tail. The visibility was good with bright sunshine. I went outside to try to get a better look, but it had disappeared and I was not brave enough to go into the plantation! Later that same day (4.30pm) while I was out of the house, my wife sent me a text to say that she too had seen the animal and I wasn't going crackers. We have not seen it since.

Sharon
I was out walking alone this morning (23rd March 2007)on a bridleway coming up to Buckminster Flying Club. At about 10.30 am from a distance I saw what I first thought was a black labrador, but its size,shape and tail made me think it was a panther. If it had been a dog I would have expected it to watch/wait for me and go back on the bridleway up towards the Flying Club. But it went into the hedgerow and when I walked by I saw its head and ears; it soon ducked down when it realised I'd seen it. I was worried it might jump out and carried on walking fast. Nothing happened. I am sure it was a black panther.

Neill Foster
Travelling back to Cheshire after attending the airshow at R.A.F.Waddington about 4 years ago we had driven about a mile northbound along the A1 after leaving the A1(M))at J38 Ardwick Le Street when I clearly saw a large black cat going through a hedge into a farmers field,I didn't see the head or front legs/shoulders but I know absolutely that it was a bigcat not a dog, the tail was about three feet long a was carried horizontally as it pushed through the hedge, the fur was entirely black all over there was no other colour at all and it was so shiney that the sun was glimmering off it's flank.I normally am slightly sceptical about U.F.O's ,Loch Ness Monsters and the like but I am so conviced of what I saw that I am happy to tell anyone about it wether in the pub,at work or anywhere else.

British Big Cat Conference
(BCIB) Big Cats in Britain 1st Annual Big Cat Conference – Hull East Yorkshire – 23rd 25th March 2007 It is over 40 years since the first public spate of sightings hit the headlines with the Surrey Puma, yet we are still no closer to solving the mystery. Experts from all over the country will be gathering to discuss if these cats really are all black leopards? Hybrids? or a relic, indigenous species that we never knew existed alongside us, ever since the Ice Age? BCIB average three sightings daily from all over the countryside including Ireland, in fact people these days are more likely to see a big cat rather than a pig. The conference is the first organised exclusively by the group which is open to non-members as well as members. There is an exciting line up of speakers giving delegates the chance to ask questions and speak to the experts personally. Controversy promises to raise its head, as well as exciting new evidence? Also news of an event that many of us have been waiting for since 1983. BCIB have always prided themselves on working as a team although we do not always agree with each other. We discuss and debate in a friendly and open manner to help further our knowledge and understanding on a subject that for some of us is a way of life, and a subject that is touching upon more and more people across the nation daily. We are pleased to announce that the veteran big cat researcher Di Francis will be attending and speaking. She is currently working on her new book, Cat Country Revisited, a sequel to Cat Country published in 1983 which started many people on the trail, including conference organiser Mark Fraser. Others speaking will be zoologist Chris Moiser, Jonathan Downes of the CFZ, police officers, South African trackers, scientists, witnesses etc. The event has a packed itinerary which also includes film shows, a raffle quiz, displays, stands and book stall.   Tickets for the full weekend are £20 - day tickets £14   For more information visit the www.bigcatsinbritain.org website Mark Fraser 01563 551710 – 07940 016972 bigcatsinbritain@btinternet.com Over four decades, the Surrey Puma of the 1960s has been joined by the Exmoor Beast, the Beast of Bodmin, the Fen Tiger, the Beast of Ongar, the Pedmore Panther, the Beast of Gloucester, the Thing from the Ling, the Beast of Borehamwood, the Wrangaton Lion, the Beast of Shap, the Beast of Brentwood, the Lindsey Leopard, the Lincolnshire Lynx, the Wildcat of the Wolds, the Beast of Roslin, the Kilmacolm Big Cat, the Beast of Burford, the Chilterns Lion, the Beast of Castor, the Beast of Sydenham, the Shooters Hill Cheetah, the Beast of Bucks, the Plumstead Panther, the Beast of Bexley, the Beast of Barnet, the Nottingham Lion, the Durham Puma, the Horndon Panther, the Beast of Cricklewood, the Beast of Bont, the Beast of Gobowen ... and many more.

vix
in reply to nick's comments to big cat collections in the 1970's i know of two occasions of this happening. There was a large collection of panthers, pumas cougers etc kept at panton nr wragby in the 70's and when it became illegal to own them without a licence they were all set free! This also happened to another private collection in the bardney area.

A Steele
I have seen the black panther crossing a road through Stapleford Woods just before Christmas.

debbie
Just saw what looked like a black panther this morning at 7.30am in the fields behind our home in Kirton in Lindsey. It was running along the post and rail fence line about 100m away. 3/2/2007

David
As I was driving along the A17 at sutton bridge at about 10.45 am, I saw what I first thought was a large black dog on the lane near to Wingland Foods. As I got closer I realised that it was too large to be a dog and had a long sleek tail.

Emma
A few weeks ago I was on my way home from my parents, it was around 10pm. As I drove through west pinchbeck via North drove; I think thats the name of the street, the road tipplers farm is on. I saw a large animal stood on the grass verge with big green eyes. At first I thought it was a fox but as I got closer I realised it seemed to big. The animal soon darted off.

Arabella The famous Dancer
Last night I was coming home from a dance concert I had done...When suddenly I heard growling!..

Fletch - 2/11/06
Travelling betweeen Bracebridge Heath and Waddington yesterday afternoon (2/11/06). Spotted big black cat creeping along behind houses heading to RAF Waddington. It seemed to be about 3 feet long with a long feline tail and was dark black in colour. I turned around and stopped and watched it for a few minutes before it dissapeared. I just wish I had a camera!

Luke Everington
Spotted behind the City of Lincoln Community College by a couple of friends

Joshua Pike (BEDFORDSHIRE)
I've seen a Black panther in my garden and looked at me and ran away

sean burlton
me and my friend were riding our bikes through the countryside around the bourne area in lincolnshire when we saw a large creature with a panther like face and a black body. It about 2 feet high with a long tail and luminous eyes. We saw it about 50 metres into a field by this time we were really scared he tried to get a picture of it on his phone but it was to hard to make out what it was on the picture. we then went back to my house and told my mum. Isaw a cat like this about 2 years ago but i didnt do anything about it.

dave bailey
my cat is 2 1\2 foot long,1 1\2 foot high its k9 teeth is 1\2 a inch long and hes black with the same type of nose as in the pic above , his brother is a little bigger, the reason i say this 3-4 yrs ago the was a sighting of a big cat near alford,then a few months later my 2 was born,so could this be were a big cat mates with a tabby and we get big cats around the place?

chris
Oct 23 2006 Driving from Hibalstow towards Scawby just before midnight, I came across what I can only describe as a young black panther at the side of the road. As I drove towards it, it ran off down the verge then lept the hedge. Its acceleration was incredible and it had a thin tail that was about a long as its body.

michelle moore
today I have seen what looked like a panther but it was in willoughby on the wolds, loughborough not lincs, is there anyone I should tell?

Arabella
Has anyone seen a black panther in beavercoats pit wood witch is near worksop and Meaden school.....Becuse one day me my older brother and my mother were getting the dogs in the car agen..Becuse we had just taken them for a walk when suddenly my brother saw something massive and black in the woods behinde us..I stayed in the car with the dogs as I am only 12 years old....And a couple of minutes later we head growling!

Tina Leverton
Over the last 2 weeks 4 people have seen the black panther around Alvingham area Nr Louth Lincolnshire. I have not seen it myself, my husband and son are a couple of the people that have seen it, I won't let my son takes his dog for a walk at night now.

mr.p.anther
leave me alone, due to the idiots in lincoln i have made the difficult descision to leave and start a family elsewhere. thankyou for your concern but i will no longer bother you or your pets. dearest regards mr. p.anther. p.s i happen to be male so i would appreciate a more masculine name than lindsey .

Nick
I have also heard rumours about a private collections of big cats released in Lincolnshire in the 70's, Any one else?

Nick
Taken casts of big Paw prints near Woodhall Spa Have been confirmed by a canadian wildlife ranger to be couger tracks July 2006, Has anyone else had any expieriences in the woodhall spa area?

Richard
whilst travelling back late last night to grantham from harby , east of lincoln i saw a large cat, at first thought it was a black panther and then i come to my senses and realised it couldnt be, until i told my friend who i had been visiting. she told me that there had been sightings of exactly that, so i thought i better let someone know. it was roughly 12.30 am on the early hours of this morning(06/08/2006). i caught the cat in my headlights that were on full beam as i noticed it , it was crossing the road about 50 yds in front of me . it didnt turn or look it just casually carried on its way, i slowed down exactly whete it dissapeared into the bushes on my right but i couldnt see anything so i carried on thinking i must have been a normal black cat, but now ive heard these stories today im convinced of what i saw.

Dave C
In response to Julie Bartlett, what you are descibing is a rather large household cat. If you HAD seen a panther it would be more like 3 to 4 ft tall and 6 to 7 1/2 ft long including tail. I have also seen what at first looks like a big cat but turns out to be an optical illusion with nothing more unusual than the local tabby. I would be very interested to hear however if anyone has seen a Black shuck or hairy Jack, they give me the heeby geeby's

Julie Bartlett
My son & I were driving into Mablethorpe last Friday night (28th july) and saw what we both think is a panther in the field by Golf Road. It looked about 2 - 21/2 ft tall and approx 3ft long with a long curved tail.

Jan Godfrey
In 1996 whilst travelling through Blyton towards Gainsborough I saw a Lynx like cat (flattish face and tufty ears) on two occasions. The first time the cat was at full stretch on its back legs looking into a wheelie bin at approx 4AM I stopped the car and watched it in the headlamps for about 30 seconds. This was just up from Blyton Ices. The second occasion was approx 10 days later around 2AM (Back shift)when the cat ran across the road in front of the car and dissapeared into someones garden across from the shop.Fantastic!!!! I only told a couple of people for fear of a massive cat hunt.

Adrian Davin
There was a puma type creature sitting in the middle of the approach road to Long Sutton Power Station about 4 years ago as we drove down there. We got to within about 10M before it took off into the corn

steve eastburn
spotted leopard at 05.15am 19/7/06 crossing a footbridge over the m18 1/4 mile from junction 4,doncaster.

Michelle Russell
My Son has seen the black panther, It was in the field oppersite to where we live which is near Fulnetby, Bullington, Langworth wood, Which we call Nightys wood. It was about 2 1/2 - 3 feet tall, black with a long tail which was slightly curled upward. He was 40meters 60 yards away and he was on his scooter and came back really terrified. 30/06/06

Sam Sweeney
I was on my way to tesco in market raisen in may when i saw this over grown racoon, or so i thought. I later discovered (due to the high number of sightings) that it was the leopard that has been causing so much hubbaballoo. The car headlights must have startled it as it soon ran away in to the surrounding bushes. It is a memroy that will stick with me due to the extreme size of this cat!

Sarah M
It was some time in January and i was outside in the garden in the evening. I saw it in the field across the road, about 200 yards away. I ran inside as i was scared. I havent seen it since but my dad saw a couple of years ago near Wragby. This happened in Welton Le Wold...

James Saunders
30/5/06 I was travelling down the A46 back from lincoln to nettleham at about 11:10pm this evening with my father. We had passed the first turning into Nettleham then as we continuted, about 30 meters infront was a large black cat, it ran across the road into the bushes, which line the Lincolnshire Police HQ field. It was far larger than a domestic cat, i would say it was far larger than the size of a large dog also.

Ian Jones
About 18 months ago on the way to work at 7.15am,on the back roads,between Fulletby and the junction to the main Horncastle/Louth road near to West Ashby,in bright conditions with the light behind me,and from no farther away than 120 metres,a black cat,the size of a labrador dog,leaped uponto the side of the bridge at the bottom of the hill I was approaching,and with only landing on the ground to take one bound leaped onto the opposite side of the brige and I lost sight of it.I told my work collegues as I arrived at my then work at Poolham grain store.Since that day I compulsivelly carry a disposable camera in the event of any unexpected sights.Needless to say I have seen nothing notably unusual since..typical!

michael james
Saw a black animal, cat like in appearance but the size of a very large dog, or small horse !!. Driving from Lincoln to Skegness, about 3:00am inbetween xmas and new year, it was snowing heavily, and the animal was sat in the middle of the road and really stood out against the snow. It didn't appear worried by our vehicle, and we got to within 3 or 4 feet of it before it cleared the road and a dyke in 3 bounds and raced off across a field. We slowed and watched it for at least a good minute. It looked very much like a lion, but it was definately black, and had a long thick tail. We were in the middle of nowhere between Wragby and Horncastle on the main Lincoln road.

Simon
I was walking my dog in a villiage near Bourne when it got spooked and just stood still and i looked down on the wood that was down the hill and there was a big black cat walking through it and the dog wouldn't move until the black cat had moved so oviously it was some big and dangerous.Also other people in the villiage have seen it before as well.

Nick Peters
Last year we were within 60 feet of a huge black cat at the rear of our property in Little Steeping. This was a constant event with sightings daily for several months - we took snaps so have proof - Nigel Lound the Police Wildlife officer was involved - plus an RSPCA expert, the snaps (while not very clear) have been confirmed as a black leopard. Other neighbours also saw the animal on several occasions.

Anthony
My sightimg was some four years ago towards the end of February,travelling through Maltby Le Marsh towards Mablethorpe. At about 10pm as we approahed the Farm at the Willows end of the village we saw what I though was a Doberman dog in the road, it stopped and looked staight into my headlights then lept through the air over a garden fence and was gone. I commented to my passenger that I had never seen a dog jump like that before, it wasn't until the next day that I realised that we had possibly seen a "Black Cat"

sam brader
3/4/06 10pm went out to my car and looked on to the hill and saw a black cat which must have weighed six stone,which is much to big for a domestic cat.but the strange thing is it didn't run off.just walked off like i wasn't even there.the sighting was on heathcote rd in coningsby.

BB
Hi there I am interested to know if there are any big cats about. My personal view is that there are quite a few but only the size of a euoropean linx they don't mind the cold and the rabbit population wouldent be affected in the slightest. So its very possible as for panthers mmmmm who knows I havent seen one (yet) but I keep my fingers crossed. Oh ps if anyone can prove me wrong about wild black panthers I would like to see a picture that isnt blured.

david hunt
i saw a large black animal on the out skirts of horncastle , not far from wood enderby witnessed by another car.

Amanda Knight
21/03.06 8:25pm Travelling by car between Humberstone and Tetney N.E.Lincs a very large black cat was seen at the roadside which turned from starting to cross the road back to long grass/ undergrowth from where it had come from. The animal was without question not a dog and had a distinctive large tail. The 'cat' appeared jet black.

Billy
Two Sundays in the space of 5 weeks whilst driving near to Great Limber,spotted a large cat which i explained to my supervisor as being like a shetland pony to give him some sort of idea of the size. Was definately cat like,and could not be mistaken for a fox,which i see on a regular basis,both movement and colour being the obvious difference. The cat was black in colour with a tail i would estimate to be about the same length as its overall body size. Both sightings were at the time of around 3am and crossing from woods to woods at the exact same place,remembered easily by the possitioning of a national speed sign.

tasha
well i was just about to get into the car and a black thing which was in the field on the other side of the road cought my eye my sister said it was just a black cat but it was toobig to be a cat we was about 100 metres away plus normaly if it was a cat you wouldnt be able to see the legs because the grass was quite long but you could the legs clearly and it was muscular. it scare me a bit.

Kerry
It was a number of years ago when i had a sighting,maybe 97/98. I live in a small village between grimsby and Caister. One spring night around half 5 (dusk) as i was walking home from the bus stop, having been to college, i heard this very loud, strange almost snarling sound from the hedge area about 20 metres ahead, and then this large animal that i can only describe as a big black cat ran across the road in front of me and disappeared into the gardens/fields opposite. The cat was the size of a large dog,with a very long tail. It was definately a cat from its look and sound. A friend of mine has also sighted it around the area and a friend of my mums has also. I used to hate walking that half mile back home from the bus stop after that.

MalcolmJessop
I spoke on the radio just after this siting but thought I had better writeit down. 25/1/06 7.50am. I saw a large cat like animal in the middle of a field just off the a17 stapleford roundabout.I was travelling towards sleaford. I turned round at the barnby junction and headed back to see if it was still there.it had gone

David Barrett.
I have not seen anything myself, but my wife and daughter have told me that they saw a large black cat walking aaround the edges of a field at Barnetby - Le - Wold, Lincolnshire. It was observed from the public footpath which connects Barnetby and New Barnetby running parallel to the Doncaster - Cleethorpes railway. These sightings have been made in the last couple of weeks. Further to this a regular user of the train service between Barnetby and Scunthorpe reports a sighting in the Area close to Worlaby and the River Ancholme. Sent 24/01/06.

Isabella Reeve
I originally come from Holbeach, Lincs and I used to frequently drive along the A15 (near to Owmby) to get to Uni. It was roughly a year ago prior to Christmas on the A15 that I saw a rather large cat. At the time I thought I must have imagined it as it was the early hours of the morning and I was quite tired, but I know it was definitely not a domestic cat I saw!

John Bowers
I live in Owmby (see Mark Bryans entry) and about 3 months ago whilst driving through the village i saw a large black animal. I only saw it for a second and when i returned it wasnt there. I wonder if this is the same beast?

Mark Bryan
Whilst playing cricket last year in Owmby, i saw a rather large BLACK cat, in the field but unfortunately is was their one minute then gone the next, has anyone else seen this BLACK cat

Bod Baker
When Working a night shift at my work in Long Sutton, i saw something running away from the dustbins at first just shrugged it off as a standard cat, but then later that night i saw it again, and it was about 65cm high and must have been nearly 5st in weight, i am sure no domestic cat is that big, what it was i have no idea i did not stick around long enough to find out....

James Giles-Grant
I saw something about 3 months ago when driving around in Spalding. At the time i thought it must have been a large dog, but now when i think back it was in a field by itself with no-one around it. It could have been a big cat...

Gordon Patchett
In 1993 I was travelling to work from Gainsborough to Lincoln by train. About ten minutes into the journey, I looked into a field and saw, what was unmistakably a member of the big cat family sitting in the field. There was no mistaking the creature for a fox or domestic cat by the way iot sat and it's frame was much larger and muscular. I didn't mention this for six months until a friend's children spotted a cat stalking through tall grass, whilst on a fishing trip.

Nola
I live on Yarborough Crescent backing onto the allotments. I have seen at least four times, an extremely large white cat, with leopard like markings, much larger than a normal domestic cat. One evening I went to shut my curtains, and it was standing at the patio doors snarling,( and I mean snarling) frightened me to death I must say!! However, I have not seen it for some time. My partner has also seen it, and we called it the snow Leopard. I asked my brother about it (he is a vet) and he could give no explanation.

Wendy Siddall
I have now had two sightings of big cats the first one was about a year ago. I was travelling alone along the A159 towards Gainsborough, I had just left Blyton when I spotted something at the side of the road, the best I can describe is it was much larger than a domestic cat, prehaps bigger than a fox and it was moving in a stalking movement. The most distinct thing was its tail it had a black tip with lower band. The second sighting of an animal which matches the same desciption was on Tuesday 22/11/05 at approx 4.40am. I was travelling with my husband Gary along the A159 towards Gainsborough when we both saw the animal disappear into a field on the right when we was just leaving Scotter.

shirley
i saw a big cat late last week on whisby tip iwas realy amased not scared as i lived in africa kenya

celia winstanley
It was actually my husband who saw the big cat in a field behind our house in Gainsborough, but it was thirty years ago. He wasn't frightened but he was indoors so it couldn't see him anyway. It was much bigger than a domestic cat, was black and moved like a panther. He only saw it the once and nobody, apart from myself, believes him.

Rick
there has been several big cat sightings around the thorp on the hill haddington. aurborn and thurlby area of lincoln. the most reasent was in the haddington/thurlby area by horse riders out riding along a country track. apparently the horses started to get adgitated and the one of the riders saw a cat like figure run out thrugh a bush from a feild und straight acroos the lane into woodland. the mijority of its coat was a simmilar colour to a ferral rabbit but was mottaled with diffirent shades like a tabby cat. could this be the lindsey lepard as there was a known sighting in thorp of the hill reasently. they informed the gamekeeper for the woodland of that area and he kept a look out for prints. there has only been one other sighting but the person was unsure.

Mrs Catherine Parker
A couple of night's ago, about 8-30pm, we heard a low growling noise outside nearby.Our dog, Ben, was on his way out the door and he, unusually for him, ran barking up the hedge for some time. We did not hear the growl after the dog went out. However we had a very disconcerting experience last year, my husband had gone up to bed, I was going up shortly afterwards,it was a hot night so our bedroom window was open, as I set off to go upstairs I heard a very deep roaring growl noise outside, the dog ran to the door(I let him out, fortunately whatever made the noise was not in our immediate garden) and he barked and charged around for ages. My husband who was near the open bedroom window said he heard the growl/roar clearly and it sounded like a big cat, lion tiger type growl, in near vicinity. Since this week's repeat growl(altho not as loud, maybe further away) we feel sure there must be some large feline free in the fields, probably roaming a large area. We have not heard of any animals being attacked though. Believe you me, this noise is quite alarming! We are very close to open fields, the river, and lots of thickets.copses and with a high hare, fox, rat, rabbit etc population. Interesting!