Sheep Carcass Stripped-Down In Area Where 'Panther' Was Spotted Last Week

Warning - this article has a pretty grim image of a dead sheep. If that's not something you want to see, you should click away now.

The stripped-down carcass of a dead sheep has been found in a Cotswolds village, increasing fears that there could be a panther on the loose.

A dog walker came across the mutilated remains on a footpath near South Cerney, Gloucestershire last Saturday - just days after a woman spotted what she says looked like a big cat.

Francis Freeth, 57, said the dog walker called him up to tell him he had found one of his flock.

The animal had been pulled over three 4ft-high fences and had the flesh stripped from its body, according to police.

Twitter/@GlosPol_Rural

Speaking to The Sun, Freeth said: "I checked my livestock on Friday last week and counted them all there but on Saturday morning I received a phone call from someone who was out walking and had found one of my sheep mutilated.

"It was disgusting, only its head was left but not much more apart from its spine and a few ribs. It had been completely stripped bare.

"I'm quite annoyed really but there's not much you can do if a beast like that is attacking your flock.

"I'm just hoping it won't get anymore, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did as it's a ready supply of food for it."

A disturbing image shows the sheep's head attached to its spine and ribs.

The 'rural crime team' from Gloucestershire Constabulary have confirmed they are investigating a report of a 'black panther sighting in the Wildmoorway Lane area of South Cerney'.

Sharing a photo of the sheep's carcass on Twitter, the team wrote: "Is this connected to the report of a big cat sighting last week. Pulled over 3 stock fences (4ft in height) from its field and stripped some distance away."

A spokesperson from Gloucestershire Police told The Sun: "Last Thursday (4 June) we had a call from a woman who thought she had seen a large black cat near to Wildmoor Way, South Cerney.

"Two further potential sightings have been reported.

"A wildlife crime officer has also been in contact with a farmer after a sheep carcass was found in a field in Ashton Keynes."

Topics: UK News, Weird, Animals

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