A LARGE “black cat” was spotted sprinting across the A51 near Chester.

The animal was seen by a motorist near the Tarvin roundabout.

The witness, who asked to be identified only as ‘JB’, reported the sighting to Puma Watch North Wales, the group set up to document such encounters.

Latest big cat sighting reported to Puma Watch North Waes.

Latest big cat sighting reported to Puma Watch North Waes.

JB said: “I was travelling from Chester to Tarporley on the A51.

“Just off the Tarvin roundabout (junction with the A54), I was accelerating to make progress, and an animal like a large cat (labrador-sized) ran across the road in front of my car.

“It seemed to be black, and at first I thought it was a badger, but its gait was like a cat sprinting.

“The animal seemed to be making a break for it and almost mistimed the crossing – it was caught in my headlights as it dashed across, and it wasn’t until I’d passed that I registered what I might have seen.”

This latest sighting has been added to the Puma Watch interactive map.

It is the latest in a number of sightings in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Frodsham and Wirral.

Puma Watch founder Tony Jones said: "Big cats sightings have previously been recorded in the area, both around Chester itself and in the Cheshire countryside and villages. Just last month, we shared a report of a “black puma” spotted near the M6 Lymm Interchange. Other recent sightings include an animal crossing the M56 behind Costco Chester and another stalking sheep near the M56 Chester Services.

"A big cat has also been caught on video in Frodsham, while in Chester, sightings include what could have been a puma near Blacon. Just along the canal to the North, a large, black animal with a very long tail was spotted twice within a week, around the abandoned Old Oaks Golf Course and the Countess of Chester Country Park. The sightings followed a 4ft-long cat “with a great big tail” being spotted twice in one night in fields bordering Blacon, behind Sealand Road Asda.

"As seen with Llandundo’s now-famous goats, who have taken to roaming the town’s deserted streets during the coronavirus lockdowns, it’s likely that the reduced levels of human activity over the last year is encouraging big cats to roam further from the hills into more populated areas."