TWO more sightings of a prowling big cat have been reported following earlier sightings in north Norfolk. A large black animal was spotted in Bryony Close in north Norwich by James Smith.

TWO more sightings of a prowling big cat have been reported following earlier sightings in north Norfolk.

Leslie Koe came forward this week to reveal that he saw a large black cat curled up asleep under a tree near County Hall way back in the summer - six months after he first saw a similar animal in Felthorpe Woods in north Norfolk.

Mr Koe, of Harvey Lane, was driving his truck along Martineau Lane about a year ago, when he spotted the creature.

He said: 'I called the police, but they just laughed and said I must have seen a pussy cat. But I know what a panther looks like. It was a lot bigger than a German shepherd.

'I tried to run after it, but I couldn't keep up.'

Mr Koe also claimed to have seen a similar creature in Felthorpe Woods in north Norfolk 18 months ago close to the area dubbed the 'big cat hotspot', Hevingham.

'It was beside the road and then it leapt over a hedge. It was about the same size as the other one. It was black and muddy, and had a long tail.

'I think there must be two or three about, as people used to own them. But they got too much to cope with, so the owners let them go in the countryside.'

A large black animal was spotted in Bryony Close in north Norwich by James Smith. He said: 'I was pulling away in my van when I noticed a dark coloured, wild-looking cat digging around at the base of a newly felled tree.

'It had caught my attention as it was clearly bigger and not as well kept as a domestic cat. I thought nothing of it till my girlfriend read about the other sightings in the paper.'

There have been a number of big cat sightings in Norwich and rural Norfolk in recent weeks. Last week, Mark Jermy reported seeing a black, panther-like cat in Reepham Road, Hellesdon.

Mr Jermy, who was driving along the road towards Taverham, said: 'It was running across the fields on the left-hand side of the road. It was bigger than a German shepherd dog, completely black and leaps with a cat-like stride.'

Previous sightings have been reported in Aylmerton, Hevingham and North Elmham.

If you have seen a big black cat let us know. E-mail ivor.harvey@archant.co.uk