Forget the monster: Big cat terrorising Loch Ness locals

Never mind the Loch Ness monster, people living on the banks of the famous lake have a more realistic beast to contend with - a big cat that's savaging farm animals and pets.

The locals have urged police to hunt down the black cat amid fears it may even attack a a child.

The big cat is thought to be behind the recent maulings of a lamb and a dog and locals, like Katrina Wallace, are too afraid to let their kids play outside at night after her husband spotted it near their home by the loch south of Inverness.

She told The Sun: 'We have two black labradors and he thought it was one of those but then realised they were inside.'

She has taken photos of the body of a badly mauled lamb that had a large puncture wound on the back of its neck.

One of the family dogs was also attacked, by something large enough to try to haul the labrador away.

Katrina explained: 'The vet said it could only get an injury like that if it had been dragged.'

She also took pics of huge paw prints in the snow.

Highland Councillor Margaret Davidson said: 'I believe this is a public safety issue. The police need to take this seriously.'

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