Boy's in 'Big Cat' Terror
Two Forest boys ran for their lives after spotting a mysterious big
cat in Cinderford. Joe Tingle and Chay Maidment, both 11, were playing
football in a field at Cinderford bridge on Monday around 5pm, when they
became worried about noises in a tree nearby.
The rustling continued until a branch started to lean over and there
was a crash and a black animal with huge green eyes stared back at them from
the undergrowth.
Joe's grandfather Derek Bluett, of Flaxley Street, 76, said: "It was
something quite large.
"They saw the green eyes looking at them and said they were very
frightened so made for their bikes and hurried home.
"My daughter said they looked a ghostly shade of white when they came
back.
"They are both intelligent boys, I am sure they saw something. I think
there should be some signs up warning people or something.
"Hopefully they would not attack people but if it is small children
then you just don't know."
Joe, who attends Monmouth Grammar School, said: "We just came up to
play football because we do most days and then heard this rustling in the
trees before this thing came down. We were quite frightened.
"I know it wasn't a dog because it could not have been in the tree
like that, it was the size of a Great Dane."
Police are also looking for information after a couple out walking
reported another possible panther sighting in Bullo near Newnham at 4pm on
Sunday.
The couple, from Cheltenham, said they saw a big black animal which
was larger than a dog but smaller than a pony.
Any information call the police press office on 0845 0901234 quoting
crime reference number 532 of the 30th.
The Forester: 2nd November 2006
