Walkers Claim To Have Spotted A Big Cat Stalking Through Gloucestershire

Is the beautiful countryside of Gloucestershire teeming with big cats? Now, before you say 'no, fuck off', hear me out.

Because a group of walkers in Gloucestershire have said they were followed by a 'growling panther' for a mile. The walkers said they were followed around 1.3miles by the big cat, after they got lost.

And they are not alone in their claims that some sort of big cat roams the area.

One of the walkers told GloucesterLive: "I have seen the big black panther - it was a panther, it was as clear as day.

"Myself my partner and about five others were walking up Woodchester Park and we got lost in the woods and found ourselves back at the cars at 11pm.

"On our way back up the drive we saw yellow eyes in the trees, like it was following us.

Credit: PA

"There was a growl the closer we got to the cars at that point we got scared and ran to the cars and put the lights on - there it was right in front of us.

"It then jumped over the fence in to the long grass where it seemed to be stalking us, growling. We were trying to get a picture but it was just too dark.

"This was only four weeks ago, and again last week we saw the same eyes in the tree line, deeper in by the lakes.

"It was not a puma, as it was too small - it was black with yellow eyes and slinked like a moggy. It was a big cat - no other animal can move like it."

The walkers were so spooked by what they saw they contacted a local big cat hunter called Frank Tunbridge, who has spent time investigating other claims of cats in the area.

If you're thinking that sounds like an easy task, then let me tell you, there have been hundreds of big cat sightings in the Gloucestershire area - particularly in a place called Stroud, which is well-known for its mysterious feline prowler.

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Frank reckons the wooded valleys could be a perfect place for a big cat, or big cat family, to thrive.

Speaking about the recent sighting, he told the paper: "It was probably just seeing them off.

"It could have had cubs, who knows? They were there late at night and the cat would have laid low during the day."

Featured Image Credit: WikiCommons/Cburnett

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19