TWO women have told of their shock after encountering the Beast of Hade Edge - a large black cat thought to be a panther.

Villager Margaret Wainwright and her daughter-in-law Wilomena Roderick reported seeing the creature stalking sheep in a farmer's field at Dunford Road.

Police said they were treating the case seriously and there had been other sightings.

Mrs Roderick said she was in her mother-in-law's kitchen looking out of the window when she saw the mystery animal.

At first she thought it was a big dog on the loose. Then she realised it was far too big and muscular to be a dog.

"It was a very big powerful-like cat," she said.

"I saw the profile of its head and face, it belonged in a zoo. I was dumbfounded.

"The tail was a dead give away. It was really long and curled up at the end, and swishing like cats do swish their tail."

Wild cat expert Paul Westwood, of Pontefract, said he believed the big cat to be a black panther after hearing Mrs Roderick's description.

Three years ago there were reports of a powerful black beast roaming around Denby Dale.

A farmer had one lamb killed in an attack and another injured.

Mr Westwood said he believed big cats had been breeding since many were released into the wild after the Dangerous Animals Act of 1976.