Stephanie Smith captured what she thinks is a demonic ghost dog at the folly at Roundhay Park. Picture: SWNS/Ross Parry

Stephanie Smith was taking a picture of Roundhay's Park's Victorian folly near to Waterloo Lake on a recent visit with her parents and daughter Dani Louise, 11.

But looking back at the picture, Stephanie noticed a strange shadowy figure in the corner.

After zooming in and lightening the image, the Leeds mum got shivers down her spine, spotting what looks like a 'demonic' dog lurking in the shadows looking at a man walking up the steps towards the folly.

Sign up to our daily newsletter The i newsletter cut through the noise Sign up Thanks for signing up! Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting...

Freaked out, Stephanie, 33, did some and is now convinced the huge black dog is a 'gytrash' - an apparition said to haunt parks in Yorkshire.

The large black 'demonic' creature has been described by some as being the size of a pony and is said to be a foreboding omen scaring unsuspecting walkers.

Stephanie, who works as a cleaner, said: "I froze when I realised the shadow was some sort of animal. It took me a moment to figure out what it was but once I could see the head, ears, tail, and legs, there was no mistaking it was a demon dog.

“It’s monstrous, almost like a werewolf, and the worst part is that it’s in a position like it’s going to pounce out which terrifies me. It’s like it was hiding away from the light - like I’d caught it off guard.

"It spooked me out because I’ve never seen anything quite like that."

Roundhay Park's folly was built in 1811 by local builder George Nettleton, and been subject in the past of eerie photos taken appearing to show spirits.

In 2015, a family snapped a picture showing the outline of a woman on the monument's steps.

"The only person I saw other than my lot was the grasscutter", Stephanie added. "I swear even the dog walkers were miles away from where we were.

"My dad said it was an Alsatian, but it could be a ghostly dog. They do say you’re able to get a glimpse of it as it passes and goes away. I still believe it is what I think - that it’s a gytrash, a black wolf demonic dog stalking the castle and the grounds of Roundhay Park.