Police are probing reports of a black panther on the prowl in Portslade.

A milkman spotted a large, black feline loping along Southdown Road in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Police to sent out a search team to scour the area after receiving a call from the milkman at 3.30am but failed to find the big cat.

However, they are continuing their investigation as there were rumours a woman had seen a similar animal in Hove within the last fortnight.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "The caller said he saw the panther in his headlights and someone else at the scene had seen it too.

"We take these things seriously in the sense that the animals could be a danger to themselves or to the public."

Big cat experts are certain felines, such as panthers, lynxes and leopards are living wild in Sussex.

Big cat sightings have previously been reported in places such as Lewes, East Chiltingon and Ashurst, near Henfield, as well as on the outskirts of Brighton.