IF THERE really is a Monster of Meltham we want to see it!

That's why we're offering a £500 prize for a photo of the mysterious black cat that people keep spotting ...

Eagle-eyed snappers could be in the money if they can just manage to capture it on camera.

Over the past few years there have been sightings of big cats in the countryside all over Huddersfield.

But picture proof has yet to emerge. If there is a huge feline on the loose, it's been very camera-shy.

Today's £500 offer has been prompted by two more sightings of big cats by Examiner readers.

Bob Armitage says he caught sight of a beast, believed to be a panther, as he dumped some rubbish at the Bent Ley Road tip at Meltham Mills.

Mr Armitage, 48, of Linthwaite, said he was taking some refuse to the dump on a Sunday morning in early March.

He added: "It was about 10.30am and it was quite busy.

"I was caught up in a queue of traffic and just turned around and saw it."

Mr Armitage, a senior traffic warden, looked across the road and said he saw the beast standing perfectly still on a small hill.

He added: "At first I thought it was a guard dog at the nearby scrap yard. I looked closer and saw it was a big cat.

"It was black, stocky and about 4ft long.

"That area is ideal for them, as there is a wood behind there for it to roam around in."

Mr Armitage said the creature melted away.

He added: "I looked again and it was gone.

"It must have been frightened off by all the noise and activity.

"I only told my wife and colleagues, because I thought no-one else would believe me.

"I've never seen it before or since, but I know what I saw."

News comes as hundreds of people prepare for the Examiner Challenge in Meltham on Sunday.

Participants in the walks, cycle rides, wheelchair and pushchair routes and horse route are urged to look out - although most of the sightings have been in the early hours, not broad daylight.

And the cat might have moved on from Meltham. Another Examiner reader, Sheila from Holmfirth, emailed to say she saw it in her garden.

"I saw this cat one night last week," she says: "I awoke about 3.30am and because the security lights had come on I went to the window.

"A very large, muscular black cat was walking down the garden path."

Last week, the Examiner reported sightings of a large cat in the Red Lane area of Meltham. Experts have said it is possible that a panther could survive in the area.

Examiner editor Roy Wright says: "The idea of a panther on the prowl might seem silly, but all these sightings suggest there just might be something out there.

"Our team of professional photographers are out and about every day of the week, but they can't be everywhere at once.

"That's why we want Examiner readers to keep their eyes peeled and their cameras handy."

To dissuade tricksters, we'll pay up only after a photo has been verified by an independent big cat expert and a photography expert - so no Photoshop spoofs!

And we also need to be sure that the picture was actually taken in our area.

Roy says: "I know it's not likely that someone will spot the panther in front of a landmark like Meltham Church, but the positioning of a wall or a field should be enough for us to be satisfied that your photo is genuine.

"If we just can't decide, we may even let our readers decide whether they think it is real, with a public vote."

Roy added: "There are two very important rules to remember. One, if you see it, don't approach it or try to hurt it. And two, don't put yourself in danger. Your safety must come first."

of this week.