Big cats near Gloucestershire in 'multiple sightings'

After reports of a black panther and a lynx stalking along the Gloucestershire  and Worcestershire border, a county-based group has reported multiple sightings of big cats on the prowl.

Evesham and Villages Big Cat Group has 513 members and rising as people share their experiences of sightings in the county after Martin Burford revealed two of his own close encounters.

Members have also shared other evidence of big cats, including the carcasses of prey and footprints.

Those who have seen the big cats themselves argue fear of being disbelieved may be what stops more witnesses from speaking openly about sightings. 

Even experts have not ruled out the possibility of the big cats roaming through the remoter parts of the county, including the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. They just say more conclusive proof has yet to be found.

A National Farmers Union (NFU) spokesperson has also said farmers are keeping 'an open mind'.

However, he says more evidence would need to be made public before their existence in the British countryside, including here in Worcestershire, is accepted.

BELIEVE: Mandy Acres is adamant the big cats in Worcestershire are real and other members of her big cat group - Evesham and Villages Big Cat Group - agree (Image: Supplied)

One of the founders of Evesham and Villages Big Cats Group on Facebook, Mandy Acres, has lived in Evesham all her life.

The 37-year-old said: "The reason I created the group was because I had a sighting in August 2013. Whilst I did not report the sighting at the time, not fear of being disbelieved but I didn’t want any harm to come to the animal by telling everyone where I saw it.

"In the last few years I’ve seen stories on and off about sightings and my sister Beckie Gurney who is also an admin on the group had a friend who had seen large footprints and a deer carcass.

"So after this, I set the group up."

Her sighting happened in August 2013 at 6.40am when she was travelling between Offenham and Badsey via Aldingto
 

Mrs Acres said: "I had taken this route about the same time every day that week so knew there were no animals in the fields I passed.

"One morning on my way through on this road I saw something black to my right.

"Immediately I thought “oh, the farmer has put a black sheep in the field” then the animal turned and started to run away from me, which made me think “someone’s black dog is loose!”

"It wasn’t until my car had got 20 yards side on to the animal that I saw it was 1000 per cent a big black cat.

"The gait was the same as a cats not a dogs, it was roughly the size of an Alsatian dog, the head and ears were smaller in comparison to the body but the tail which was thick, as long as the body and in a fixed low bend position which made me immediately realise “oh my god it’s a big cat!”

"Within seconds it was gone. That side image is ingrained in my head and I am very sure I know what I saw.

"Visibility was excellent and being August, it was light when I had my sighting. I immediately rang up my mum to tell her what I saw, she said 'don’t be silly!'

"My husband said he believed me but still couldn’t get his head around the whole thing.

"Then next day I returned to the area and managed to speak to a farmer. He advised that his neighbour had seen a big cat on the other side of his land but he had not seen it.

"Whilst talking to the farmer I was very surprised to see lots of rabbits running around and also seeing deer running in said field on a different day. There is a brook near so water and food are present as well as shelter and thick bush.

"I’ve come to the conclusion they do exist, they have likely adapted to UK weather, prey available and mostly stay out of sight except for when they are sighted which seems to be at least monthly."