Enormous ‘panther’ noticed strolling by UK river because it stares down passer-by ‘for minutes’
A shocked walker says he spotted an enormous “black panther” prowling beside the River Stour in Longham, Dorset – a county already notorious for repeated big cat reports and alleged sightings
A man believes he encountered a ‘panther’ on a local river walk(Image: Kelvin Diffey/BNPS)
An enormous “panther” has reportedly been spotted prowling along a UK river in a county already famed for mystery big cat sightings.
Kelvin Diffey says he was taking an evening stroll beside the River Stour in Longham, Dorset, when he noticed a dark animal moving in the distance. He said: “I was having an evening walk down my local river in Longham when I spotted something in the distance.
“At first look I thought it was someone’s dog, but when I got closer it definitely wasn’t a dog. I quickly got my phone out and took a few pictures and, realising this was some sort of big cat, I was pretty shocked.
Kelvin Diffey was enjoying an evening stroll beside the River Stour when he noticed a black animal in the distance(Image: Kelvin Diffey/BNPS)
“After a few minutes looking at me, it ran off towards the woods.” Kelvin watched it for a few minutes before it ran off towards the woods.
The creature then vanished into nearby woodland before it could be tracked, The Bournemouth Echo reported. The reported sighting has reignited debate around Dorset’s long-running “big cat” mystery – with believers insisting the landscape could easily hide a large predator.
Local big cat experts have previously claimed the county has the perfect conditions to support large cats, pointing to a high wild deer population as a steady food source. There have also been other reports in the area, including alleged sightings in Poole – where one was said to have been seen sitting in a tree – as well as Wareham Forest.
Black leopard (stock image)
In 2021, Southbourne based-big cat expert Jonathan McGowan said: “There are around 30 leopards in Dorset alone because it has such a high deer population. Most of the big cats are very shy and keep out of the way because they want to remain undetected.”
However, police and wildlife groups generally treat big cat reports with caution. Sightings are often made from far away, or in low light, and it can be easy to mistake a large domestic cat, a deer or even a dog for something much bigger.
Officers have reportedly also advised members of the public not to approach any potentially dangerous animal, and to call emergency services if they feel threatened.
A Freedom of Information request made by the Echo in 2021 found eight reported big-cat sightings in Dorset between 2018 and 2020, including in Poole, Dorchester, Weymouth and Sturminster Newton – suggesting Kelvin’s report is far from an isolated claim.
While those records show people are reporting big cats, they do not prove the animals are definitely there, and physical evidence is rarely found.
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