Big cat charity tries to soothe panic over panther sighting

Following news reports of panther sightings in the south London region, The British Big Cats Society (BBCS) has appealed for calm among worried locals.

Anthony Holder from Sydenham in south London, escaped serious injury when he was reportedly attacked by a big black cat. Mr Holder describes the animal as catlike and about six foot long and three foot tall. The ‘cat’ is said to have attacked him after Mr Holder went to investigate his pet cat’s howling.

The BBCS has said Mr Holder was lucky his injuries were not more severe, but insisted that the ‘cat’ did not attack Mr Holder, but reacted to being disturbed.

It has long been argued that big cats are present in Britain, and the BBCS’s recently published survey suggests that there have been 2,052 sightings reported to the organisation in the last 15 months.

Danny Bamping, founder of the BBCS said: “The evidence has been increasing and becoming clearer – we are now going to approach the proper authorities and 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 – this is the most active area and where the BBCS is based.”