A big cat sighting has been reported in Aberdeenshire.

Hazel Fowler from the Banchory-Devenick area reported seeing a large black cat “about the size of a Labrador” while out walking her dog in local woodland at around 6.30am on Thursday.

Ms Fowler froze when she saw the beast standing at the side of the path.

Ms Fowler said: “I was very scared, it just stood there and looked at me and the dog and I was shocked basically.

"It would have been about a retriever size and height, long body, big head rather a big animal just standing in the middle of the road here.

“Sally and I just stood for a few seconds and we started walking backwards because obviously it's quite daunting being confronted by this animal early in the morning so we just walked back and by the time that I turned my head away and looked again, it had gone, probably into the woods."

Ms Fowler thinks the beast could have been a panther - and she is not alone in believing big cats are roaming parts of the Scottish countryside.

There have been sightings in Aberdeenshire, Angus and Fife in recent years.

Hazel is adamant that what she saw was not a domestic cat and is equally adamant that she hopes she never sets eyes on the creature again.