Walker's 'shocking discovery' in tree is 'firm evidence' that big cats are roaming the Peak District

Bernadette Hall was walking with her husband on Stanton Moor earlier this month and decided to tackle the Nine Ladies walk. As they did so they discovered bones in a tree - something Bernadette described as “shocking” and “macabre”.

Initially thinking it could be the remains of a sheep, given their prominence in the field, Bernadette decided to post the picture into a few social media groups. And so, once again, started rumours of the involvement of a ‘big cat’ with one person saying the skeleton provided ‘firm evidence’ that big cats are indeed roaming the Peak District.

READ THIS: Police launch manhunt after two convicts abscond from Derbyshire prison

READ THIS: Police appeal after woman hospitalised following Chesterfield assault

Bernadette said she had forgotten the legends of the big cats but, when she was growing up, she had childhood fears of being ‘hunted and eaten by a puma’.

She told the Derbyshire Times: “My initial thoughts were that it was the bones of a sheep. There are sheep in the field so this seems likely, although some people have suggested it could be a deer.

“I wondered how the bones got in the tree, and I assumed a person must have put them there. But why would someone do this? Also it is quite a creepy thing to do. Did they stumble across the bones by accident and put them in a tree to create an eerie talking point, or is it something more sinister? To be honest, I can't imagine touching a dead animal or bones, and I'm not sure many people would if they didn't have to.

“I suppose the likely explanations are either a person put the bones in the tree or an animal dragged another animal up the tree, but what animal would do this? I also think what would I rather it be - a person who enjoys embellishing trees with ghoulish ornaments, or a big cat which may take a fancy to feasting on me when I'm on my next solo walk?"