Is puurrrroof out there?

9:27am Friday 5th September 2008

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THE Westmorland Gazette has been investigating photographs of what appears to be a big black cat in Kendal.

The images were taken from a home on Valley Drive by three members of the public who watched the cat as it "prowled" around a field for ten minutes.

As well as contacting an expert in black cat sightings the Gazette enlisted the help of a quantity surveyor - and a cardboard cut out of a domestic-sized cat - to gauge the proportions of the animal caught on camera.

We revisited the site and using one of the photos taken by the witnesses as a guide, recreated the shot to help us assess whether the animal seen was unusually large.

When the two images were placed side by side it was clear the cat seen at the weekend was much bigger than a household pet.

Our quantity surveyor - Simon Gore from Carnforth-based developers Daffodil Homes - used measurements taken at the scene and calculated the cat was roughly 60cm tall and that its body was 90cm in length, minus its tail.

We think the evidence is conclusive but what do you think? Visit out forums to add your view and see today's Westmorland Gazette for the full story, reactions and more images.