A MUTILATED deer carcass discovered near Cirencester is more proof of the existence of big cats living wild in the are, according to experts.

The discovery was made at around the same time that another deer carcass was found around ten miles away in Woodchester Park near Stroud.

A woman, who did not want to be named, was walking her dog along a small road in Rendcomb on January 5 when she spotted the dead roe deer.

The animal carcass had been almost completely stripped and big cat expert Frank Tunbridge said it suggested it had been eaten by a black leopard.

"They always kill their prey in a recognisable way – either with a neck bite by asphyxiation, or by biting it on the nose.

"Lots of bears and wolves will do the same thing to shock the animal - it's like a punch in the face.

"Then they start from the rear end of the deer between the back legs and stomach, and eat the liver, kidneys and heart."

Mr Tunbridge said he was not surprised at the surge in deer deaths in the area and expected to hear more reports until February.

"These cat can survive quite well on small prey, but at this time of year the smaller animals stay underground so they kill deer instead."

Scientists at the University of Warwick are in the process of studying samples of DNA taken from the Woodchester Park deer to confirm if it was the victim of a big cat.