Saw a weird animal whilst out walking - what on Earth was it??!!

I was walking Gadget with OH yesterday afternoon in Sheffield. He found something and when we looked over it was some sort or animal that we just didn't have a clue what it was!
My first assumption was that it was a really big black cat, but it really was much bigger than a cat; it was almost as big as our dog! It ran away as soon as Gadget found it, then climbed a tree really quickly. The thing is, when it climbed the tree it didn't move like a cat; more like a bear!! (if you can picture what I mean?) It stayed up in the tree about 10ft up for ages, but because it was jet black and in amongst leaves, we really couldn't get a good look at it. It had a long thick tail though.

Myself & OH have named it a "Puma-Bear"!!

Has anyone else ever seen anything like this or have any idea what it was?!

Ive posted on my local forum incase anyone has spotted it before - we had the Moscow State Circus in town the other week - maybe they left something behind?!!

Don't know what it could be wow

thats a bit strange to say the least may be the circus did leave it

Well Panthers have been spotted recently, it could be one

There's something like that lurking around in my region, it's often on our local news, but thankfully, as yet I've not come across it. Some sort of black panther they said on the news (as apposed to the pink one ) and I think by the sounds of it, there's quite a few of them around in different parts of the Country. Bit scary isn't it!

Similar stories of a black panther here too, I have spoken to a few people who say they have seen it!

Havn't you got the 'beast of Bodmin'??

there is a website to report your sightings..
http://www.bigcatmonitors.co.uk/

We have had a big cat sighting here, about 50 yards from our house actually! We didn't see it though.

Sadly many people get exotic pets of one sort or another to be 'cool', then get fed up with it and release it, maybe that's an explanation?

Have you been back to the area? If you do, take a camera just in case!

Yeah sounds dramatic doesnt it!