Good luck for builders as big cat crosses their path

Nov 22 2007 by Jamie L. Robins, Gwent Gazette

A LARGE black “mountain cat” has been spotted prowling the hills overlooking Waunlwyd.

Shocked father-and-son builders Peter and Gareth Whittle caught sight of the unusual beast at 11.40am on Wednesday, November 14.

Peter, aged 55, and Gareth, 28, are self-employed and at the time they saw the creature they were making their second trip of the day to the Silent Valley refuse tip.

As they crossed the cattle grid outside Cwm cemetery the big cat walked out in front of them.

“We were driving up the mountain as normal and all of a sudden we saw this cat,” Gareth said.

“It walked in front of us and jumped over the fence without any effort – like it was stepping on to a kerb on the side of the road.

“We both looked at each other, we just couldn’t believe it.

“I phoned my missus and she said ‘Don’t be so stupid’ – but I know what I saw.”

The father and son, who say they were cynical before the sighting, are no strangers to the Waunlwyd mountainside.

“I have been walking these hills for 40 years and me and the boy go hunting most weekends – I know what animals look like.

“I’ve heard there have been sighting before and I have always been cynical but now I believe it after seeing with my own eyes.

“I’ve got nothing to gain from making it up.

“If it was 12 o’clock at night or I was walking home from the pub I would doubt myself, but this was 11.40am and it was a very clear day.

“There was no mistaking it – it was about four foot in length, black and had a big tail.

“It was very, very agile but the head was quite small so I think it would have been a female.

“It was big, too, not as big as a lion or panther but it was still very big.

“It was one big lump of a feline.”

Have you seen this mystery beast? Ring our newsroom on 01495 304589.