Original headline: TOP CAT COUNTY
Sightings of big cats are more common in Lincolnshire than anywhere else in the country.
"Exotic animal" experts say 102 people reported seeing leopards, lynx and panthers in county fields during 2003.
Dozens of people believe they have caught big cats on film and many more claim to have found hairs in their gardens and on roadsides.
Now the British Big Cat Research Group is planning a week-long stake-out between Wragby, Horncastle and Woodhall Spa. They are hoping to catch a creature on film.
The group, a hands-on splinter group of the British Big Cat Society, already have a trigger camera stationed at the home of Sandy and Julie Richardson of Green Lane, Hemingby, near Horncastle, for the past eight weeks.
The couple appeared in the Echo in October when they claimed to have captured the animal on video at the bottom of their garden.
Wildlife officers and an American laboratory, which carried out forensic analysis of hair samples, concluded it was a leopard.
The group decided to hold the vigil after a further reported sighting on the outskirts of Wragby on April 12.
Mark Fraser of the British Big Cat Research Group said they will be monitoring the site from Sunday.
"A man reported that while driving from Baumber to Wragby a large black cat the size of a full grown Labrador suddenly pounced from the side of the road," he said.
"He has a vivid memory of a large black cat."
Mr Fraser said although sightings in Lincolnshire in the last two months were low, the number still seemed to be higher than anywhere else.
"Going by last year's reports Lincolnshire must certainly be the county with the highest incidence of reports."
For years the Echo has documented sightings of black cats in the county. Last year a spate of attacks on pet rabbits in villages north of Lincoln caused concern that cats were preying on domestic creatures.
Last month Celia Roe (84), of Harris Road, Boultham, Lincoln, claimed to have seen a panther in her garden.
This followed the video evidence of a large black cat in Horncastle last October.
Mr Richardson (66) first saw a black big cat inside an abandoned caravan in his garden.
"It had large yellow eyes, they were so bright it looked like a light was shining from behind them," he said.
He had seen the animal three more times in his garden, and as well as the video footage had collected hairs.
"I always believed there were cats living wild around here, but I never dreamt I would find one at my home," he said.
Anyone who has seen a big cat is asked to call the team on (01563) 542499.
