Big cat footage debate rages on in Gloucestershire

MASSIVE interest in a video of a suspected big cat has sparked more reported sightings – and a dose of cynicism from www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk readers.

Yesterday, The Citizen and its sister website published footage of what appears to be a large black animal bounding around in fields near Stroud.

But most who commented on the story said the footage did not prove a big cat is prowling the Five Valleys.

Big cat tracker Frank Tunbridge, who came in for criticism for claiming the black animal, filmed by teaching assistant Coryn Memory, was a cat, said more sightings have been reported to him.

"A woman reported seeing a big cat on Minchinhampton Common two nights ago," said Mr Tunbridge, from Gloucester. "She said her dogs were very frightened." He is investigating reports it dashed across a road on the common at dusk.

Another report of footprints in the weekend snow between Stonehouse and Edge has also been reported to him.

Last week the National Trust and Warwick University announced that tests on deer carcasses which showed signs of being taken down by a large predator found no trace of big cat DNA.

Dr Robin Allaby, who conducted the tests from samples of deer taken from near Dursley and Woodchester, is testing hair samples taken from near the Dursley site.

Yesterday, a university spokesman said results from those tests are not expected for "some weeks".

The video, taken by Coryn who has seen the animal six times, has been an internet sensation but has attracted criticism from some TiG readers.

"Well, video footage is a step forwards I guess, but still far from convincing," wrote Matt 1006. "Large dark animal, obviously not a fox, but could be a black Labrador (does look more like a dog having watched it a second time). Images too small, too far away and not good enough for a positive ID."

Meanwhile a Youtube user called BigCatBob1 has used the video sharing site to have a bit of fun with the story: