BIG-CAT hunters are to visit West Fife next month to pounce on evidence of large felines in the area which have terrified witnesses.

A group from Big Cats in Britain (BCIB), including founder Mark Fraser, will head north after hearing about repeated sightings in Devilla Forest, near Kincardine.

There were around eight sightings of big cats in West Fife last year, ranging from pumas to lynx.

Bob Wallace, BCIB Fife representative, will join Mark and others in two overnight vigils in the hope of capturing the beast on camera.

He said, "Mark is convinced there's something in there - the area is well covered with plenty of food and has several water sources so it's an ideal place.

"It's worth a look because of the number of reported sightings already and we'll be looking to interview witnesses." The latest reported sighting was in November when a man claimed to have been followed by two pairs of green eyes to his car at the forest entrance on the A985 Rosyth to Kincardine road.

The man - a regular dog-walker - said he would never set foot in the woods after dark again.

In October the Press reported the story of two Valleyfield men, James McGarry and Alan Yates, who claim they saw a large black cat while out hunting rabbits in a field at Culross not far from the forest.

Other encounters in West Fife have included a man claiming to have come face-to-face with a Puma-like creature sat upon a hay bale at the ash lagoons in Low Valleyfield and another man seeing a large black cat in Townhill while out with his daughter.

The investigation will take place on the weekend of 6-7th February.

If you have any information regarding sightings in the area contact Bob Wallace on 07936 719909 at wallace_robert@yahoo.co.uk.