2026-08-17 11:00:18

A woman in Northamptonshire claims to have spotted a big cat the size of a “panther”.

Mel Barnes, who works as a quality improvement lead, said she saw the beast lurking in a field in the village of Deenethorpe, which is around 10 miles south of Rutland, and she’s adamant it was too big to have been a domestic cat and she wouldn’t have ran indoors to grab her phone if it was “just a moggy”.

She told What’s The Jam: “It looked too big for a domestic cat. I was so shocked by what I was seeing I had to run back in the house for my phone. It was 15 feet away from me.

“I probably won’t ever see this again. You had to be there. I know what a domestic cat looks like and I wouldn’t have darted into the house to get my phone just for a moggy.

“I have never in my life seen what I suspect looked like a panther – and will probably never see one again.”

Northamptonshire Police also confirmed they had received a report about the sighting of a big cat around Deenethorpe. A statement given to the publication explained: “We received a report from a member of the public who believed they had seen a large cat in the Deenethorpe area.”

The sighting comes after a UK-based organisation issued safety guidance for hikers and dogwalkers on what to do if a big cat is spotted in the wild.

Puma Watch North Wales published a series safety guidelines as part of its Big Cat Awareness Campaign which ran throughout July.

The summer safety guide – which was published online – states: “The species of big cat known to inhabit North Wales are reclusive, solitary animals which avoid human contact.

“Provided you don’t deliberately approach or follow one, it’s very unlikely to show any aggression and will likely disappear into safety before you reach any close distance … “

The guide went on to advise walkers to stick to wide, established paths to “reduce the chance of an inadvertent ambush” while keeping small children under close supervision and dogs on short leads.

The safety guide adds: “Avoid walking or hiking alone, especially during dawn, twilight, and nighttime. Carry a (charged) mobile phone and ideally a torch. “Make loud noises as you walk so animals know you’re approaching and can find safety. Consider carrying an air horn or whistle for emergencies.

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