TWO friends claim to have seen a big cat roaming about the woods between Sanquhar and Muirkirk.

On Thursday, June 7, Gary Mullen of Cumnock was out walking with a friend where they came “face-to-face” with a puma-like creature.

Gary told the Chronicle: “I am still in awe of seeing a wild big cat up so close.

“Myself and two friends went a run in my friends car up to Corsoncon and two of us went a walk through the woods along the fire-breaks.

“We came face to face with a big cat which we believe now to be a puma. It was only about 60ft away and it was basking in the sun. It was about 3ft or 4ft high and about 4ft in length and a fawn colour. We knew it was a big cat but we were in awe trying to take in what we just witnessed.

“It was the most surreal moment in my life and an experience I will never forget even though it only lasted for about six or seven seconds.

“The puma was lying on the grass basking in the sun. It never saw us walk out of the fire-break but when it did, it stood up stared us straight in the face and within about two to three seconds it was away back into the woods.”

This is not the first sighting of a big cat in the area. Garry added: “When almost back at Corsoncon, we spoke to a man and a woman in a Jeep about what we had just seen.

“The guy said that him and a friend went a walk about three years ago from New Cumnock to Sanquhar when the snow was on the ground and they came across massive paw prints bigger than his hand.”

Gary reported the sighting to the Scottish Big Cat Society and has also contacted Big Cats in Britain.

Have you seen the Big Cat of Corsoncon? Get in touch, call us on 01290 421 633 or e-mail editorial@cumnockchronicle.co.uk