Reports of a possible black panther sighting have been circulating on social media after a resident described seeing a large black cat early on Saturday morning.
The witness said they spotted the mystery animal at around 6.15am, standing by the flats in the Newmarket valley on the site of the former Hilliers factory and looking down towards land near the former meringue production facility at Terretts Mill on Newmarket Road.
They said the creature appeared to be slightly larger than a dog, with what they described as a feline body shape and a long, cat-like tail.
The latest report comes amid a number of alleged big-cat sightings across Gloucestershire in recent months.
Big cat researcher Rick Minter recently told Stroud Times he had received several reports of large black cats in southern Gloucestershire, including two separate accounts within a fortnight.
Minter has previously said that many reports of so-called black panthers are consistent with descriptions of melanistic leopards – black-coloured leopards – although there is no confirmed evidence that such animals are living wild in the Stroud area.
Stroud has a long history of reported big-cat sightings, with previous accounts coming from areas including Whiteshill, Chalford and the wider Stroud valleys.
Did you see the animal – or have you had a similar experience in the area? Get in touch with Stroud Times.
