There was a flash of black, a deep snarl and it was gone. Once again the desolate landscape of Exmoor was empty, save for a few sheep returning nervously to their grazing.

While the so-called "Beast of Bodmin", 50 miles to the west, was long ago proven to be a hoax, there are still suspicions within Exmoor's farming community that a large carnivore prowls the moors. There are stories of savaged livestock, frequently accompanied by claims of glimpses of a big, black, cat-like animal. Sceptics insist that it's all in the imagination.