10 hours ago
Shape of meow! Big cat sighting near Ed Sheeran's £3.7million country estate sparks loose 'panther' fears
A large panther-like animal has been spotted near Ed Sheeran 's £3.7million country estate, prompting fears a big cat is on the loose.
A neighbour in Eye, Suffolk was left terrified when he saw the feline just five miles from the Shape Of You singer's swish home, but still found time to take a few snaps.
They show a bulky black creature lurking by the trees on April 23 before disappearing from view.
Matt Salusbury, who runs the Big Cats of Suffolk website said: 'The witness told me they'd seen a large black animal walking up and down along the tree line at the end of a field behind their garden.
'The distance from where they were to the animal when they photographed it was a good few minutes walk.
'They observed it for more than five minutes before it sat down with its head up.'
The Perfect hitmaker, 34, lives in the large Framlingham property with his wife Cherry Seaborn and their two daughters.
There have been many reports of big cats in Britain over the years, with most claiming to have spotted panthers or pumas.
Locals have often been able to take a quick photo of the creature or a suspicious animal carcass they might have preyed on.
Those who support the theory that such cats are roaming around the country tend to claim they are pets which have escaped.
Others, however, think species have been illegally released into the wild.
Sceptics reckon that sightings involve people mistaking them for large domestic dogs or cats, and that such animals could not survive in the UK's mild climate.
Among the most famous alleged big cats in the country was the Beast of Exmoor in Devon in the 80s, which a farmer in the area claimed killed 100 of his sheep in three months.
People regularly report puma spottings in Shropshire while Suffolk also remains a hotspot.
As well as the recent sighting near the pop star's home, there was one in Hoxne in 2006, another near Eye in 2008, and one at Mendlesham in 2015.
MailOnline has contacted Mr Sheeran's representatives for comment.
There are fears that a large creature may be on the loose after the footage was captured on doorbell camera showing a huge black moggy on the driveway of a house
It comes after a big cat which some suspect to be the notorious Beast of Bucks was spotted prowling in the dead of night.
There are fears that a large creature may be on the loose after the footage was captured on doorbell camera showing a huge black moggy on the driveway of a house.
The dark coloured cat appeared much bigger than a domestic feline as it balanced atop a skip.
The sighting has added yet more fuel to the fire of a local myth in Buckinghamshire.
Homeowner David Lawrence lives in a village near High Wycombe, where tales of a puma-sized Beast of Bucks are legendary, and said he saw a large cat which wasn't 'normal'.
