A FAMILY from Pitkennedy, near Forfar, are claiming to have evidence that there is a big cat in the area.

Two large paw prints were left in the back garden of the Lyon household at Turin Cottages, and daughter Shelly saw a cat-like animal the size of a dog.

Mum Frances has made cement plaster casts of the paw prints.

She said, “We have a 10ft bathing pool during the summer which left the ground underneath as a soft mud.

“Normally cats are very light-footed and don’t leave prints but two prints were left in this ground.

“The prints measured 12cm from the front of the paw to the back, about the size of a hand.

“Two prints were left, with about a-foot-and-a-half between the two.

“The second print looks like the animal might have slipped.

“I thought that the mud around the prints might crack so I bought plaster, poured it into the mud and then dug it out.

“What was left were perfect three-dimensional prints.

“As I was digging out the print I found ripped pieces of clothing that it had obviously picked up.

“It has a paw print like a puma or panther.

“The toes are about one-and-a-half centimetres long and each of the nails are about five centimetres long.”

A few days before the discovery, Shelly (15) saw a large animal run away into the darkness when she was out at night.

She said, “I was in the street and I could hear an animal making a loud snarling noise.

“It was quite scary. I had no idea what it was.

“One of our neighbours started his car and put the lights on and I could see this black shape shoot away into the darkness. It was about the size of a dog.”

Frances added, “It certainly makes me be a bit more careful when I’m out at night but I figure that cats will leave you alone if you leave them alone.”