Are panthers running wild in the Peak District?Campers say they filmed a big cat eating a dead sheep

A teenage camper has captured footage of what is believed to be a large cat eating a ‘dead sheep’ in the Peak District, sparking concerns that leopards may be roaming the British countryside.

Josh Williams, 17, spent the night wild camping with friends at a British beauty spot when he spotted what looked like a leopard in the Peak District.

He quickly pulled out his phone and was able to capture footage of the close-quarters fight last Monday.

Panthers are most commonly found in moist tropical forests. Asia and Africa, but a teenager said he saw a big cat walking out of the mermaid pool in Derbyshire’s Peak District.

He added that it sounds as if the creature is eating another animal’s carcass.

Josh was convinced the creature was a large cat and resembled a leopard, but he wasn’t entirely sure what they saw.

He said: “We were both confused when we first saw it.

“We stared at it and wondered what it was for about five minutes before we decided to zoom in and start recording to get a better look.

“We tried to get their attention to turn and face us so that we could better understand what we were looking at.

“Honestly, I didn’t know what it would be like if it wasn’t a big cat.

“It was a field of sheep with no animals around and it looked like it had a long black tail, so it was definitely not a sheep.

“I didn’t hear any loud noises from the wild cats, but only the occasional crunching noise, which made me think they were eating some sort of dead animal, perhaps a sheep.

“As soon as we saw it, we knew it was something different.

“It turns out we were thinking the same thing as the day before. In fact, we were discussing the possibility of running into a wild cat during our trip.

“The animals around me seemed unconcerned at first glance, but they certainly kept their distance, as if they were used to this happening. It was eerie.

“The great contrast with its surroundings made it clear – the jet-black silhouette stood out among its surroundings.”

Josh and his friend Ben Barnes kept trying to get the wild cat’s attention, but were hesitant to enter a field with animals for their own safety.

“We stood and watched the animal for about 10 minutes trying to get its attention, but it didn’t budge and continued doing exactly what it was doing in the video,” Josh said. .

“We were behind the fence and didn’t want to risk becoming cat food, so we didn’t get close.

“The reason we didn’t stay long was because we had to catch a train, and after observing this animal for so long, it ran a little late.

“It stayed in the same position when we walked away.”

Josh said he was honored to capture footage of a possible wild cat encounter.

He added:

“But it also begs the question, what is it?

“I showed the video to my college tutor and friends to make sure I wasn’t hooked, but they all didn’t believe me.

“I knew no one would believe me if I told them I saw a leopard in the Peak District the first time I went camping, so I’m glad I managed to capture it on video after the event started.”