Pair left terrified by encounter with 'panther'

Published on Wednesday 8 February 2006 12:17

TWO friends out for an evening stroll in East Lothian had a "petrifying" experience when they were confronted by what they described as a large panther.

The men, from Dunbar, saw the black cat appear 30 feet away from them in a field near Torness Power Station at about 8.30pm on Sunday.

Their encounter with the three-foot tall creature is the latest in a string of such sightings in the area.

One of the men, who asked not to be named, said he got the fright of his life when the big cat suddenly appeared some 30 feet away from them as they walked through a large field.

He said: "I was absolutely petrified. I didn't know what to do - I thought that I was going to be its evening meal."

He said described how he and his friend edged their way across the field in a bid to escape the animal.

He added: "It felt like we were being herded up by it. We could see the orange glare of its eyes and hear it growling. I really thought my life was at risk."