Three sisters are convinced they saw a big cat while out for a country walk.
They said they spotted the German Shepherd dog-sized feline near Robinswood Hill, Gloucestershire.
Veterinary student Samreen Inam, 19, of Abbeydale, told Gloucestershire Live: "We were walking home from our walk and we turned left on to the path then we saw the animal and it was only about 70 metres away.
“We could have only seen it for around three seconds at most."
She described the animal as black with rounded ears and a long tail, like a very large domestic cat.
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She added: “The fact that I have seen it for myself now, I know it is real.
“There is plenty of food up there for a big cat.
"However it surprises me that there is no record of big cats in the area. I think that there is a chance other people would have seen it too.”
Frank Tunbridge is keen to find where big cats are in the county and went to the location where the big cat was spotted.
Frank said: “Since lockdown, and as I predicted, more sightings of these British big cats have been occurring, in and around towns and villages.
“Due to the absence of noise, people and traffic these normally secretive creatures are becoming bolder in their search for food, and water, as due to the recent hot weather, some natural water sources are drying up.
“These big cats are generally black or fawn in colour, with a few lynx reports thrown in.
"These animals continue to be seen on a regular basis across the UK, with many witness reports coming from Gloucestershire."
Mr Tunbridge said the cats pose no threat to humans and prefer flight to fight.
