This photograph may look like a picture of any animal running through the forest - but it is actually the first sighting of the pine marten in a CENTURY.

The carnivorous animal is thought to be on the brink of extinction in England and Wales but this shot was taken in the woods of south-west Shropshire.

Wildlife lover Dave Pearce managed to snap the pine marten - which is roughly the size of a cat and is related to the stoat - when he saw the creature moving quickly in his sight.

Grabbing his camera, the mechanic revealed: “I realised after a few seconds that it was what it was and my first reaction was to reach for my camera because it’s an important species and it needed to be recorded.

“I felt privileged to see it. I’m pretty sure I’ll never see one again in my life in Shropshire.”

Mr Pearce’s picture is something experts have been desperate to take themselves for years.

Stuart Edmunds, from the Shropshire Wildlife Trust, explained: “I must admit I’m always naturally sceptical, having investigated so many over the last five years – there’s been so many mis-identified animals.

“When I first got the photos, I had more pressing things to do than check them for a couple of days.”

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But when he finally got round to inspecting the photo, Mr Edmunds revealed he was shocked at what he saw - and didn’t believe it at first.

He said: “I actually thought it might have been a taxidermied pine marten dragged through the woods.”

Mr Pearce’s integrity was quickly vouched by other conservation experts, however, and Mr Edmunds was finally convinced this was the real thing.

Other sightings have been made in recent years but Mr Edmunds claims they were animals that had either escaped from the zoo or had been released deliberately.

But Mr Pearce’s photo appears genuine and Mr Edmunds believes the animal made its way to the Clun Valley from the Welsh border.

Professor Robbie McDonald, from Exeter University, was more sceptical of the photo, stating that despite it being a pine marten, it may not have been one born in the wild.

Pine Martens are thriving in their thousands in Scotland and there are plans to transfer some from there to Wales later this year.

Pictures courtesy of Dave Pearce/Rex