15 January 2024 , 12:54
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An"'incredible" sighting of a "big cat" in the British countryside has been caught on camera.
Experts have praised the footage, which was taken by by Becky Clarke during a recent walk and shows a mysterious beast prowling through a field.
The video, recorded on Becky's phone in Cheshire, is one the clearest evidence yet of big cats living in the UK wild, experts have reportedly said. Becky said: "We watched it for about 20 seconds on zoom before I realised I hadn't pressed record."
She also shared her thoughts about the reason behind this sighting: "There has been so much disruption in our area with thousands of houses going up over the last five to six years, and now motorway works cutting through green space. It was only in the last few years I was lucky enough to see the deer, and now the cat."
Expressing her hopes of spotting the creature again she said: "I suspect their areas have been disrupted so much they have had to move."
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A woman has captured a 'big cat' on camera in the British countryside (No credit)The sighting took place on a recent Saturday afternoon on the outskirts of a town in Cheshire. Matt Everett, director of a hit Amazon documentary, commented on the incredible sighting, stating: "It's pretty good evidence, even without scaling you can tell it is a large cat." Podding the source of local birds' disturbance he pointed out: "The birds seemed to get spoiled as if there was a predator nearby too it's all consistent with what you'd expect."
Tim Whittard, co-producer of Panthera Britannia Declassified, commented on the sighting: "I think it's an incredible sighting." and observed a rise in reports stating: "We have seen a significant surge in eye-witness reports, as well as people coming forward with new photographic and video evidence since the release of the documentary."
He believes public attitudes are changing, remarking: "I think it's really changed the attitude of Joe Public towards this subject, and it's no longer a matter of ridicule for eyewitnesses." Finally, he made reference to evidence of big cats existing in the UK: "Things like the leopard DNA being found in the Stroud Valleys in 2022, as well as being able to piece together so much of the history around how these big cats came to be roaming freely in the British countryside in the first place appears to have given more people the confidence to come forward."
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