Lamb ripped apart in mystery attack in Shropshire
A panther on the prowl in Telford – and now a sheep has been ripped apart in north Shropshire – could there be a big cat on the loose?
Simon Mortimer,43, is on the look out for one of the mysterious felines after one of his lambs was attacked and killed.
Days later, a big cat was spotted climbing a fence in a garden in Telford and people who saw the animal claim it might have been a panther.
Mr Mortimer, of Wistanswick near Market Drayton, said: "At first we thought it would be a fox but when we looked at it the throat had been ripped clean out.
"I had a chat with a friend of mine who has been a farmer in the area for many years and he said there was no way it could be a fox and that it was probably a big cat.
"A fox just wouldn't take a lamb that big, and he said he had seen a big cat about four years ago – a large cat with near to no tail, a lynx or something similar.
"I was a bit sceptical but everything that people say is a hallmark of a big cat attack had happened. I did a lot of looking online and all the signs of a big cat attack were there.
"A fox would take the carcass, but this had eaten nearly all of the lamb and it was clean – it chewed through the ribs even.
"I am very worried now in case it comes back."
Connor Leivers and a friend said they were walking back from Muxton to Donnington when they spotted an unusually large jet black cat with glowing eyes – one they think could have been a panther.
The sighting was the latest reported case of a big cat but none have yet been backed up by photographs.
Mr Mortimer, who has 14 ewes and two lambs, said he had been preparing to catch foxes after the attack but now fears he will have little defence against the bigger animal.
He said: "I have had a fox trap out and put the carcass in there, but I don't think there is any chance I will catch a big cat.
"I have got two orphan lambs and I have had to lock them up every night now.
"I asked round in the community and no-one has heard of this happening before.
"But when you look at the amount of people per square mile we are not overly populated in this area. I can understand how they would be able to live in this area.
"It is very rural and there are a lot of hedgerows for them to hide in."
