A man claims to have seen a big black animal that he ‘knew wasn’t a dog’ whilst driving to work. Lee Brown said he saw the creature that looked as if it was on the hunt, as he drove in Somerset.
Mr Brown’s reported sighting in Shepton Mallet is one of many that have emerged over the past few years. The beast is said to have been spotted in areas including Timsbury and Paulton.
The pattern emerging from the sightings is the form of the creature that has been seen. The beast is supposedly like a panther which stalks the Westcountry.
As reported in SomersetLive Mr Brown said: "I was driving to work on Monday morning down the Old Wells Road in Shepton Mallet when I looked across to my right into a field that usually has deer. It was then I witnessed this big black animal moving across the hedgerow.
"I couldn't stop as I had vehicles behind me and it is a narrow road, but I originally thought it was a Labrador that had perhaps slipped its lead. I was looking around for an owner or somebody but I couldn't see anyone.
"As I continued forward, I noticed the way it was moving, it raised itself slightly and I could see a long tail. It was the sheer size of it and its features, I knew it wasn't a dog.
"I've got dogs, it acted differently, it had a different face - especially the snout. I eventually pulled over to take a picture but lost sight of the creature.
"It looked like it was stalking prey. I know other people who have seen similar in the past 18 months.
"It wouldn't surprise me if there was some sort of creature out in the countryside. There is an abundance of food for them, deers, livestock - even pheasants".
Mr Brown's sighting adds to the list of reports of Somerset's big black cat. This creature has had four well documented encounters with humans in the past few years.
Back in February 2020, Mrs Bond who lives on the outskirts of Paulton, claims she saw a big cat "running through her garden" while Sarah Kamette of St Johns Road in Timsbury, believes she saw a similar animal at around the same time. All reports come from a similar area too, deep within the heart of Somerset.
Frank Tunbridge, from Gloucester, has studied wildlife for decades and has a special interest in exotic wildlife which is found in the UK. Over recent months, the 74-year-old has received dozens of emails and calls about reports of big cat sightings which have happened across the South West.
He says that Somerset is also a popular area for big cat sightings and he has spoken to witnesses over the years about their experiences. Mr Tunbridge said: “To a large majority of the British public, the thought of big predatory cats similar in description to a black leopard or a puma stalking through our woods and fields is unbelievable.
"Yet to a witness who has observed one of these elusive and stealthy creatures at close quarters, the experience is unforgettable and it lives with them forever. So, are they out there, or are they not?
“The whole subject of 'big cats' living and thriving within the UK has been rolling on for decades now without a satisfactory conclusion. Even though the evidence for their existence is overwhelming.
"Facts such as confirmed DNA, deer killed and consumed in a certain way and big cat paw marks. There can be no doubt that over the years these animals are out there as a result of releases and escapes from private collections.
"They have bred and spread covertly throughout the British Isles to become naturalised, and are now part of our diverse exotic wildlife. Many of these big cats are hybrids which are now breeding true to type.
"As many as 70 per cent of reports I receive point to this fact in their description of the cat. Along with a couple of other counties in the South West of England, Somerset has become a hot spot for reported sightings of these elusive felids.
“Since the start of lockdown, they have become bolder, and are often seen closer to towns and villages, in some cases scavenging for food similar to urban foxes. The massive deer population in the area is their main source of prey, with the diminutive muntjac, and larger roe deer ideal for them.
"As they say: ‘Where there is something to eat, there's something to eat it'. Usually a spate of big cat reports seem to occur in one area for a short while, and then it moves on, often reappearing around a year later back in the same locality.
"Most of these cats seen are black, similar in some respects to a black leopard, but also some fawn coloured big cats occur with puma-like characteristics. These big cats are harmless towards people.
"They should be accepted as an interesting addition to the British wildlife scene.”
