Three more encounters with 'big black cat' in Prestatyn and Dyserth

In the first encounter, four hikers said they encountered a large black creature that stared at them before disappearing into the gorse near Dyserth.

Then, a dogwalker, said he saw a large cat-like creature hunting rabbits and birds on the beach at Ffrith near Prestatyn.

Both sightings were reported to Puma Watch North Wales, a group set up to document and investigate such encounters in the region.

They have received reports from Snowdonia, Flintshire, Wrexham, Chester and Ellesmere Port, and all along the North Wales coast.

Now, more people have come forward claiming to have seen a creature resembling a black puma or panther.

Tony Jones, founder of Puma Watch, said: "Since we shared those encounters, we’ve had three further reports from local residents.

"A member of the public who asked to remain anonymous got in touch this morning to report a 'black panther' they’d encountered on Prestatyn’s Barkby Bridge around three weeks ago. The location is around a mile from yesterday’s Ffrith Beach sighting and adjacent to the town’s Pontins Holiday Camp."

This sighting took place at 6.30am on Monday, March 14.

They told Puma Watch: “I was out on an early morning walk crossing Barkby Bridge when I startled a large black cat with glaring yellow eyes. It was startled and turned around and ran along rail tracks”

Tony added: "Back in May, police were called after a “huge jet black cat” was spotted lurking in the bushes near Prestatyn train station – only around 500 metres down the line from this sighting."

Another witness described seeing a mystery creature near Meliden.

Tony said another person "got in touch last night to share his encounter with a “black panther” in fields off Allt Y Graig, Meliden, near Dyserth Castle.

"It took place early one evening in July, around four years ago."

He added that this sighting "took place at pretty much the exact same location as pawprints were found in January 2021".

The witness told Puma Watch: “It was on the west side of Allt y Graig. It covered a distance of 50mtrs in approximately 6 long lunges. It was jet black. Its tail was very long. It disappeared into gorse. I was with my wife but she didn’t see it.”

Finally, a woman got in touch with Puma Watch to describe suspicious remains she had seen near Dyserth.

The report said: “Regarding the sighting in Dyserth on Monday. I was walking on the mountain above Dyserth on Cwm mountain and came across a large amount of sheep’s wool in the field. It looked like the remains of a lamb.”

Latest big cat encounters. Image: Puma Watch North Wales

The latest reports have been added to Puma Watch's interactive map.

Tony said: "Just a few miles further inland from Dyserth, big cats have previously been spotted at Rhuallt Hill and in St Asaph. And in September 2021, an animal matching the same description as those above was spotted on the golf course adjacent to the beach in Rhyl. The location was only around 800 metres from the Ffrith Beach sighting reported yesterday which is just a few minutes’ walk along the beach.

"Big cats such as pumas are solitary with a hunting range of dozens of miles. They’re mostly spotted in Snowdonia and the Clwydian hills but reports of sightings in urban locations some distance from these areas are becoming more frequent."