Howard Moody was cycling to work in the evening on Tuesday, when he stumbled across a big cat – thought to be the Beast of Bretton – running across his path.

Mr Moody, (40), from Woodston said: "I was by Lea Gardens, on my way to work at about 7.30pm, when a big cat crossed the path in front of me.

"It was definitely not a dog – you could tell by the way it was running – and it was far too big to be a normal house cat. It was three foot high and five or six foot long."

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Mr Moody, who moved to the city from Yorkshire, believes he may have seen a big cat there but was not sure. This time, however, he feels certain what he saw was a big cat.

The Beast of Bretton was spotted by Lalla Blackden in May this year at her home near the Copeland Centre in South Bretton, and Mr Moody said he instantly thought that the creature he had seen was the same animal.

He said: "I have heard about the sightings in Bretton and Castor, and I knew this could be the same cat.

"I think it was probably a puma. I got a good view of it under the street lights, and the way it was running, and it's size, made me think that it was a puma.

"I think it must have been round there because there are so many rabbits and rats nearby.

Now Mr Moody says he was keeping his eyes peeled for the big feline on his journeys to and from work.

He said: "I wasn't scared of it because it happened so quickly. It wasn't heading in my direction, and did not appear to notice me, so it didn't bother me.

"I go the same way to and from work every day, so I am hoping to spot it again.

"I have told a few people at work, and no-one believes what I saw, so I really want to see it again."

Along with the sighting by Mrs Blackden earlier this year, there have been several other people who have claimed to have spotted big cats in the Peterborough area.

In March 2005, Gunthorpe man Andrew Leatherland came across a huge black animal while walking in Castor Hanglands.

He said he saw a huge black cat-like creature walking across the countryside.

His story was backed by local big cat hunter and wildlife photographer Ian Wickinson, who said he had seen the beast on numerous occasions.