Big cats on the loose in Britain, cops warn – after spotting huge puma

By Tom Parfitt / Published 9th June 2015

COPS have warned big cats are on the loose in Britain after they spotted a puma in the capital from their helicopter.

 
The puma (not pictured) was spotted by police during a hunt for a woman [GETTY FILE PICTURE]

“We couldn't believe what we were seeing”

Nick Whyte

The "huge" puma was seen by the force during a hunt for a vulnerable woman. It was "three times the size" of a person on the ground, according to cops. The discovery was made on Arthur's Seat, a dormant volanco in Scottish capital of Edinburgh, in 2012. Inspector Nick Whyte claimed that it "bounded off" and not been seen since. He added: "We couldn't believe what we were seeing – it was huge. "Big cats are alive and well in Edinburgh."

 The discovery was made on Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh [GETTY FILE PICTURE] 
 

In 2012 armed police spent 24 hours hunting an "escape lion" that turned out to be nothing more than a domestic cat. Dozens of officers were ready to pounce after witnesses were "one million per cent" certain they saw the African predator in an Essex village. Terrified residents were warned to beware and cops patrolled neighbouring fields as two helicopters hovered overhead.

For decades Cornwall residents have claimed to have spotted the Beast of Bodmin, a large black cat-like animal. However, a six-month government investigation costing £84,000 discovered the beast was actually a 12-inch domestic cat.

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