Big-cat experts examining paw prints

19 February 2009
Derby Evening Telegraph

Specialists from a group set up to track big cat sightings in Britain are examining large paw prints found in Derbyshire.

Members of Big Cats in Britain were planning to travel to the county to meet the farmer who found the paw prints and people are being urged to log any sightings on its website.

Susan Brown, area representative for Big Cats in Britain, said that since 2000 the group had received more than 60 reports of big cats in Derbyshire.

She said: "The sightings have mainly come from the Ashbourne area, including Wyaston, Hathersage, Carsington Water, Kniveton, Tissington, Whatstandwell and Wirksworth. We will be investigating the sightings in Derbyshire."

On January 19, Peter Ward, of Millers Green, Wirksworth, photographed a three-inch wide paw-print that he believed belonged to a puma.

On January 26, Derbyshire police also received reports of a large black cat being seen on a patio belonging to Heidi and Dave Robinson, in Blunderston Lane, Whatstandwell. Hannah Scott, of Castle Donington, has sent in pictures of a paw-print found in Shining Cliffs, Ambergate, on January 25.

And Julia Willetts, of Morley Lane, Stanley Village, near Ilkeston, also spotted big paw-prints and sent in pictures taken about three weeks ago. The 44-year-old said: "My husband saw them when he went out to the animals in the morning. The first thing I said when I saw them was that they belonged to a big cat."

To report a sighting, visit www.bigcatsinbritain.org.