A BIG cat has been sighted drinking from a pond at a home in Norton.

Janet Stead, of Parliament Avenue, was looking out of her window with her sister-in-law, Shirley Tyler, who had called to see her on Monday, February 23.

"Shirley just said 'What's that?' and pointed down to the pond at the end of our garden, which backs onto the old railway line.

"I said, oh it's a cat isn't it? But it was too big - about twice the size, and its ears were different - sort of pointy."

Mrs Tyler agreed: "It was leaning down to drink from the pond, but its body was still sticking out. It was very long, with a long, thick tail - not at all cat-like. It had piercing yellow eyes. It was only about 15 yards away."

Mrs Stead rushed upstairs to find her camera, but by the time she had found it the animal had gone.

Updated: 14:25 Tuesday, March 08, 2005