Motorist spots 'panther-like' cat in Midlands - then finds huge prints

Motorist Geoff Thompson, 37, was left gobsmacked after he caught sight of what appeared to be a 'panther-like' big cat while parked in a layby on a country lane between Great Witley and Martley in Worcestershire. The classic car aficionado and YouTuber had stopped to snap some shots of his cherished Renault 10 when he noticed an unusual presence in the distance on April 14.

Curiosity piqued, Geoff spotted a large feline figure lurking behind his vehicle and upon closer inspection, discovered its tracks. Geoff, from Worcester, remarked: "I just went out for a sunny drive - I noticed it as I started photographing my car. I think it was a panther."

Captured in a 24-second clip on his mobile, Geoff can be heard saying, "What the heck is that animal?! Determined to gather proof, Geoff, who runs the YouTube channel Geoff Buys Cars, ventured into the field to track down the mysterious creature and document any footprints.

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He explained: "I saw this mystery animal so I'm going to take a stroll down this field and see how much mud there is at the bottom. The ground is very wet so if there are any prints or anything we'll see them."

"There's no dog walkers there's no one it's early in the morning no one's around no one at all. Big cats have always been a bit of an obsession, fascination of mine since I was a kid so to actually see something odd while out and about is pretty funny in my book."

Big cat expert Tim Whittard reckons a nine-inch footprint could be proof the legendary beasts roam the British countryside. Tim, 38, of Gloucester, has passed on the video footage of the footprint to other experts to examine.

He said: "I have had some of my colleagues look over it and while we can't definitively say it was a big cat, the possibility remains on the table.''It absolutely could have been a big cat."

Consensus seems to suggest that the majority of the tracks photographed are more likely to be dog than anything else, so whilst the tracks do not yield positive proof, the video of the sighting itself is very organic, very natural and we can't rule out a cat. "This is not the first time big cats have been spotted in the area and several people have commented on Mr Thompson's video to report their own experiences.One said: "I've seen a black cat in that area about 10 to 15 years ago.

"Another added: "There are big cats out there...""Seen one about 20 years ago about 100 yards ahead of me. ""Lucky for me, I was in my car at the time.

"One said: "I'm going with panther... A friend tracks them in Wiltshire, I've seen similar photos, telephone poles with scratches on, height indicates big cat. "''Personally I saw something panther-like in Wiltshire one night drive. Can't be sure but will never forget the tail."

"The acclaimed documentary, 'Panthera Britannia Declassified', which explores the presence of big cats in Britain, is now available for purchase or rental on Prime Video and Apple Movies.