'Huge increase' in mysterious big cat sightings across UK, warns film maker

17 September 2023 , 10:02

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Big cat sightings 'in broad daylight' were published by a documentary crew (Image: SWNS)

There has been a "huge increase" in big cat sightings throughout the UK according to a documentary filmmaker capturing footage of the massive creatures.

Matt Everett was "inundated" with clips of the cats just before the release of his documentary, Panthera Britannia Declassified. Anonymous tip-offs to the big cat expert led to alleged breakthroughs of sightings "in broad daylight", with one person claiming they saw a black leopard in Bristol. The sighting saw an unnamed man fumble for his phone in the hopes of documenting a panther and its cubs jumping a fence and disappearing into a "dense bush" nearby.

The documentary makers hoped to show big cats were more than 'just folklore' (Tim Whittard / SWNS)

Filmmaker Matt said: "After the film was released on Amazon and iTunes, we have been inundated with emails and messages from people wanting to report their own sightings. We have even had new videos and photos sent in, which really demonstrates the public interest in this subject. Last week we received a video, sent to us from Bristol. He wanted to remain anonymous for fear of ridicule by his colleagues, harming his career prospects, or even losing his job.

"But he claims that when driving over a road bridge on a very isolated and rural part of his route to work last month he saw a black leopard and two cubs cross the road in front of him, before jumping a fence at the opposite side of the bridge and disappearing into dense brush – in broad daylight. According to the eyewitness, there were no other motorists nearby, so he was able to quickly stop the car. He then fumbled for his phone with enough time to catch a brief video of the last cub as it disappeared from view."

Panthera Brittania Declassified producer Tim Whittard has since weighed in on the new sighting. The documentary, which released on Amazon two months ago, has claimed to make several groundbreaking big cat sightings. Producer Whittard said: "We’re pleased to have raised public awareness of this fascinating subject. And it does seem that we are now developing a broader and more mainstream acceptance within the public zeitgeist that there is a lot more to this than just folklore and urban legend."

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The group is now claiming they have the "clearest" photograph of any big cat sighting in the UK, while also airing footage of a large animal spotted in Norwich. A panther-like creature was supposedly spotted in the long grass of Smallthorne, Staffordshire. The documentary team has said it is unclear when the photo was taken, though asked for those who had seen a big cat in person to get in touch through their contact form.

Ewan Gleadow