A LARGE black animal - possibly a panther - has been spotted prowling the Yorkshire Dales.

A motorist spotted the mystery beast in fields near East Witton, in Wensleydale, early on Saturday morning.

The woman immediately reported the sighting to North Yorkshire Police.

Jackie Thirsk, sub-postmistress at East Witton Post Office, walks her dogs in the woods and fields around the village every day.

She said: "It's funny, but a friend and I did find a half-eaten lamb's leg the other day.

"I might just be keeping an eye on the hedge backs from now on. There's certainly a fair few places it could hide around here."

The sighting has been reported to the British Big Cats Society. Founder Danny Bamping said: "Yorkshire has been a big cat sighting hot-spot for the last three years. Most animals spotted are black."

According to a survey by the society, there were 2,052 sightings nationwide in the 15 months to March, 2004 compared with 438 in 2001.

With 127, Yorkshire has the third highest number of sightings in the country.

A further 18 were logged in the North-East during the same period.

In North Yorkshire, sightings have been reported around Middleton Tyas, North Cowton and Scotton.

In County Durham, a puma-like animal has been spotted in the Sedgefield, Barnard Castle and Bishop Middleham areas.