THE carcass of a deer mauled on National Trust property in Gloucestershire sparked a media frenzy last week, as rumours spread of a big cat attack.

Experts carried out DNA tests on the body this week to finally try and prove if the deer was savaged by a big cat in Woodchester Park.

Thousands of big cat sightings are reported every year - with some right on our doorstep, with persistent rumours of the ‘Beast of Bucks’ stalking the Buckinghamshire countryside.

Expert Rick Minter is hoping the results of those DNA tests and his new book Big Cats, Facing Britain’s Wild Predators will turn around the sceptics.

He said: “It will be very interesting to see the results of the DNA test.

“My book explores all of the issues which surround Big Cats in the UK. It looks at all the evidence from sightings and also the human emotion, how people feel about the possibility of a big cat living in their area.

“And that aspect is surprising because most people are excited, of course some can be frightened if a sighting is particularly close to their home, but the consistent feeling is one of intrigue and that’s what the book looks at.”

The 50-year-old environment consultant’s interest in big cats stems from a sighting in Cumbria. He said: “It was a black panther, I didn’t really do much about it but I was asked to help out at a few workshops and went from there.

“I’ve also seen a cougar in Gloucestershire and then what we call a jungle cat with a group of other people. We had heard it during the night and then got a clear sighting of it.”

And what about the Beast of Bucks - is it real? Mr Minter said: “The people who monitor Bucks and Berkshire get reports of sightings quite regularly. And I’ve also heard of sightings in Marlow.”

Big Cats by Rick Minter is £18.99 and available from www.whittlespublishing.com.