Is beast on the prowl?

From the archive, first published Thursday 26th Oct 2006.

A 17-year-old is convinced she saw a panther on the loose in South Weald - and police are trying to find the animal.

Amy McRitchie, of St Andrews Place, Shenfield, was riding in a field next to Weald Country Park when her horse became tense and frightened. She heard a loud growling noise and looked up to see a "five-feet-long black cat, prowling behind deer".

The animal leapt into the bushes and behind a wall as she watched.

"I knew something was wrong because Calli, my horse, became frightened," Amy explained.

"Then I heard a terrifying growling noise. I couldn't believe it when I looked up and saw a large black cat. I knew there had been reports of a wild cat in Weald Country Park before, but this is the first time I've actually seen it."

Amy returned home and rang the council. They called the police. A helicopter was dispatched to try and locate the animal, as armed police officers returned with Amy to the spot where she saw the creature.

Two other members of the public also reported hearing strange noises and seeing a large black cat in Weald Country Park on Monday.

Police have urged people to remain calm.

A spokesman said: "Of a small number of people who contacted police in relation to this big cat, there are two or three who have reported either seeing or hearing the animal. These people will be spoken to in more detail by police to establish exactly what they saw and heard.

"Police will then be liaising with wildlife experts so that a suitable plan can be drawn up, based on the information these people provide, enabling police to respond appropriately to any further sightings. That work will be carried out over the next 48 hours."

The spokesman added that it might not be practical to search an area the size of the country park thoroughly.

No carcasses have been found following Amy's suggestion the cat was stalking deer, but wildlife experts say that if a wild cat had killed one, it would have dragged it into bushes, so it could feast on it over several days.

Danny Bamping, founder of the British Big Cat Society, said the animal could have been a panther, large domestic cat or a hybrid.

He explained: "There have been 50 sightings of wild cats in Essex in the past year. It's a rural county where there is lots of food, which is perfect for wild cats, so it would make sense if a panther was in Weald Country Park.

"There have been lots of sightings there in the past."