A HORSE rider from Test Valley and a Chilbolton resident are the latest people to see mystery black panther-like creatures.

The female rider, who does not wish to be named, said she has seen the big cat three times in an area near Broughton while Les Rowark, aged 45, reported seeing a big beast with a long, straight, black tail cross the road just outside Herriard on the A339. The animal was solid and muscular.

During the last 30 months the horsewoman, from Lockerley, has had close encounters with the animal in the Broughton area - just a couple of miles away from where two pensioners saw a creature earlier this month.

"It has got really beautiful eyes. It is not aggressive and doesn't take any notice of me. It just walks across the path in front of me and sinks down on its belly. I have seen it chasing deer. I do a lot of horse riding and my horse is petrified to go by the animal."

She thought the animal, which has a flat, black coat, gave the appearance of belonging to the local habitat. "It has a big, flatish head and a long tail," she said. The woman had not reported the sightings to the police in case she was laughed at.

Big cat expert, Quentin Rose, reckons that within 20 years big cats living in the British countryside will pose a serious threat to humans. They were already breeding and more people were bound to come into contact with them, with someone eventually being attacked and possibly killed, he said.

The earlier sighting was in mid-December in isolated country near Mottisfont.

Police are taking the sightings 'very seriously'. "Under no circumstances should anyone approach or try to shoot this animal," said WPc Sally Osmond.