Big cat sighted (From Western Telegraph)

Big cat sighted

The first big cat sighting of the year has been made in Pembrokeshire. A black panther-type animal was spotted off the Old Hakin road, Haverfordwest, by cyclist Dixie Tilley.

The location was less than two miles from a previous sighting adjacent to Pope Hill Cemetery.

Mr Tilley was using the new Cinammon Hill cycle track and ordinarily would have only expected to share it with other cyclists, or maybe walkers - certainly not with a cat the size of an Alsatian.

"I was cycling along but stopped in absolute amazement when I saw what I can only describe as a jet black panther on the track only about 50-60 yards in front of me.

"There wasn't a soul around and when it saw me, it calmly slunk under the fence into the field heading for Cinammon Farm.

"It was bigger then an Alsatian and jet black and shiny with a long loopy tail. Its shape was not right for a dog and it covered enormous ground in a short space of time, once it got into the field."

The sighting is one of a growing number throughout Pembrokeshire.

At least a dozen have been reported in the Western Telegraph over the last ten years.

Just last year, a big cat was spotted wandering through a garden in St Davids and 14 sheep at a farm in Trecwn were mysteriously mauled to death.

In July 2003, the north Pembrokeshire farming community was shaken after five lambs were killed by what was believed was a big cat.

In October 2002, there was a sighting of a big cat and its cub in a field near Mathry.

Mr Idwal Miles, who saw the animals, said he had got within five yards of the cub, which hissed at him. Its mother was about 15 yards away.

In March 2002, children and staff at Glandwr Primary School, Whitland, spotted what looked like a black panther walking slowly through a field..