DOZENS of residents believe they too have caught a glimpse of the alleged ‘Bromsgrove Beast’ – although experts have paw-ed cold water on the idea.

Advertiser reader David Wherton, 68, was left in a fluster when he claimed he saw a black panther near his home on Royal Worcester Crescent on Saturday, June 17.

And while some are sceptical of his tale, others have backed his claim with reports of big-cat sightings in Bromsgrove, Redditch and Kidderminster.

One reader even believes the alleged panther sighting may explain “horrific screams” heard near her home at night.

And several other residents believe they have come across the panther near the same spot in Tardebigge.

Camilla Roome, 27, from Bromsgrove, said: "A while ago I was driving home from work along Hewell Lane from the Redditch direction towards Tardebigge.

“I glanced to the right, over to the fields, and I saw what I thought was a big, black cat strolling towards the back of a house.

“I thought it must be a black Labrador but when I did a double take it was bigger, walking like a cat and had a very long tail.

“I couldn’t look for long as I was driving, but I was probably about 70 per cent certain it was a big cat, but you just don't assume it will be.

“I told my parents and they were sceptical but the other mentions of it make me think that maybe I wasn't imagining it!"

Keith Jones, commenting on Facebook, added: “I've seen it up Tardebigge Reservoir, as have a couple of the other anglers. Pretty surreal and very scary.”

Another reader, Susan Sprigg, said she had “an encounter” with an alleged panther around five years ago, while friends also saw a “large black cat-like creature jump out of the trees” in another incident.

Facebook poster Sam Darnley believes the sightings could explain some unusual noises she has been hearing at night.

She said: “Maybe that's what keeps killing things across the road from mine most nights. The screams are horrific!”

Louisa Clark, who said her mom encountered a “huge black cat” on Kidderminster Golf Park, questioned whether an animal may have escaped from West Midland Safari Park.

But the park’s head of wildlife operations Angela Potter was doubtful.

She said: "Over the years there have been many reported sightings of large cats but none of these have ever been substantiated.

"Often we are called out and usually find them to be large dogs or cats photographed at unusual angles.

“They would need to eat a lot to survive and I think we would have lots of reporting of wildlife killed in unusual ways and may even find carcasses hanging in trees, which doesn’t happen.

“I feel it is quite unlikely that there would be one in Bromsgrove.”

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust was also sceptical of the idea.

Trust spokesman Wendy Carter said: “You probably would not see a black panther in Worcestershire.

“You do not expect to see something so wild in an urban place such as Bromsgrove and nobody has ever found any conclusive evidence.

“Also you have got to ask is there enough food for something like that to live on?

“It is always a possibility but there has never been any conclusive photograph or evidence such as a paw print.”

Cynical Advertiser reader Jay Albutt concluded: “All these sightings and no one’s ever got a camera phone on them.”

Have you got a photo of the Bromsgrove Beast?

Email yournews@bromsgroveadvertiser.co.uk.