HUNTING THE BIG CAT

A Big Cat or just a large dog?

Inside Out goes in search of the wild Big Cats which some claim are on the prowl in the East Midlands. Recently a panther like creature was spotted at Gunthorpe, in Nottinghamshire.

Over a hundred sightings of Big Cats are reported in the East Midlands every year. Some have been filmed. But are they escaped wild animals or large domestic pets?

Several people claim they've seen big cats at Burrough Hill country park near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. Inside Out spent the day on the hunt with the park ranger.

Ranger Tim Maidwell believes that big cats are stalking these parts.

"Most people who say they've seen something think it's either a puma or a panther," he says.

How did they get there?

Big Cats were once kept as pets by the rich and famous

Big cats were popular fashion accessories in the 1960s and could be purchased in Harrods.

But in 1976 a change in the law meant that keeping big cats was illegal without a license.

Licences were expensive and this drove some exotic cat owners to dump their prized pets in the wild.

Debate rages over whether cats could have survived and bred since 1976 - leading to recent sightings.

There are credible reports big cats are becoming popular as pets among criminals - especially those involved in the drugs trade - because of their deterrent effect on intruders.

The hunt

The hunt for the big cats has been going on for years.

In 1963 the police and army came out in force to hunt the famous Surrey puma - nothing was found.

Since then there have been sightings from all over the East Midlands - Leicestershire, Rutland, Peak District and parts of Lincolnshire.

In 2001 a large cat was captured on a home video in Measham.

Then in September last year Darren Smith was walking his dog in Derbyshire and filmed what he believed to be a big cat and then just one month later Simon Fens captured a large predator on his home video in Rutland.