A RETIRED publican has spoken of the moment he saw what he believes was a black panther stalking through a field near his County Durham home.

Neville Shaw spotted the creature in a field near his home in Hunwick, near Crook, on Tuesday afternoon (April 30).

The 62-year-old is a keen wildlife watcher and often spends his time observing foxes, badgers and rabbits in the field near West End.

But on Tuesday, a more unusual visitor was seen walking through the field – a black panther.

Mr Shaw accepts few will believe him without evidence, but is adamant he saw a giant cat.

He said: “I looked up and saw a black thing near the bushes. It was big, probably about the same size as a Labrador, and I knew it was big because I could see the daylight between its belly and the long grass.

“It walked like a cat and looked like it was scenting, it kept stopping to smell the ground.”

He saw the animal for about 30 seconds before it disappeared into a copse on the other side of the field.

Mr Shaw said: “I managed to see it though my binoculars but unfortunately by the time I had got my tablet out to take a photo it had gone.

“I know what I saw though. It was the way it moved and the fact it was so black that makes me sure it was a panther like creature.”

Mr Shaw, who was about 300 yards away from the animal, reported his sighting to the police.

PC Kevin Hall, Durham Police’s rural liaison officer, said the sighting had been investigated but, given the evidence they have, he believes it was a large domestic cat.

He said: “If we had received more reports of it or it had been in a more built up area we would have dedicated more resources to it.

“We have looked at it but there is nothing to suggest it was a panther, no paw prints or reports of live stock, pets or wildlife being taken.”

Have you seen a black panther in the Hunwick area? If so, contact the Northern Echo on 01388-602232 or email duncan.leatherdale@nne.co.uk