Ballybogy, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland, 2003

Big cat panic gripped north Antrim after a 10-year-old girl, Jodie McFarland, spotted a large brown cat near Port-rush in early August 2003. Further sight-ings followed within hours, and a police search was launched. A few days later, large paw prints were found beside a reservoir near Bush-mills and identified by Belfast Zoo as those of a puma or mountain lion-type cat.

The media swooped, but disagreed over the details: between 20 and 50 further sight-ings were reported; between four and six sheep (including a pedigree ram at Castlecat) were killed. While descriptions of the animal varied wildly, farmers united in calling for it to be shot, and many parents kept their children inside.