BRITISH CAT TALES :.

BIG CAT PROWLING NORFOLK

  Posted Apr 21.04

DOZENS of big cats, such as leopards, lynxes and pumas are prowling around the Norfolk countryside — and probably breeding, according to a survey.

According to legend, the highways and byways of Norfolk are the haunt of phantom hound Black Shuck, but the devil dog seems to have been joined by a real-life feline companion.

According to a 15-month survey carried out by the British Big Cats Society, Norfolk was in the top 15 counties nationally for big cat sightings.

In total, big cats were spotted roaming around on 54 occasions, five fewer than over the border in Suffolk.

And just before Christmas last year cats were spotted loping around in Norwich and Wymondham.

David Galvan, who compiles big cat sightings for Norfolk, said he was utterly convinced the creatures existed — and were breeding.

He said: "We had a sighting in Norwich in December in a man's garden at Cringleford which is surrounded by a meadow and woodland.

"He saw a large brown and black cat running from the meadow into the woodland, while a cat was seen in November running across the A11 between Thickthorn and Wymondham."

Mr Galvan said other sightings were reported in Great Ellingham, Tibbenham, Taverham, Narborough, Sutton Bridge, Dereham and Burnham Overy.

He said: "There are a lot of lynx up in Norfolk and most of the reports up there do seem to be of black cats.

"I feel these sightings are on the increase and I think they would have to be reproducing.

"We are trying to prove the existence of these cats so I would urge people to get photographs, or if prints are left behind they can telephone me and I would happily travel to take a plaster cast of the prints."

Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire sightings date back to at least the 1960s and many experts suggest some of the animals originally came from zoos or private collectors who were forced to release them when the Dangerous Wild Animals Act made it an offence to keep them without a licence.

The south west of England is the nation's big cat hotspot, with 21 per cent of the 2,052 sightings reported to the British Big Cats Society (BBCS) between January 2003 and March this year.

There were 96 reported observations of big cats in Cornwall during the survey period, 100 in Devon and 69 in Somerset, the BBCS said.

The society called on ministers to back a full UK-wide scientific investigation into sightings of big or exotic cats in rural Britain.

The study unearthed video and photographic evidence, plaster casts of paw prints and reports of attacks on horses and sheep.

The society said the evidence showed there was "little doubt that big cats are roaming Britain".

Danny Bamping, the society's founder, said: "The evidence has been growing and is increasingly clear.

"We are now going to approach the proper authorities to ask for their support in undertaking a properly-funded scientific study on the big cats in Britain.

"We'd like to focus on the south west because this is the most active area."

The society's website, where sightings can be reported, is www.britishbigcats.org while Mr Galvan can be contacted on (01728) 748442.

He said reports should include date, time, location and a description of the creature spotted.