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**WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW**

(Image: WESSEX)

Carlos Romero was walking his dog Daisy through Tom Burt’s Hill woods in High Wycombe, Bucks, when a “powerful animal” took gouges out of the pet’s flesh.

Images show terrible claw-like cuts down the side of the helpless pooch’s body which required immediate medical attention.

Daisy went into the undergrowth to investigate something and seconds later she howled in pain and came limping back to Carlos.

(Image: WESSEX)

Blood was pouring from severe wounds after the confrontation, which has left horrible scars.

Carlos said: “If it is a panther, somebody needs to do something about it.

"You can’t leave an animal like that on the loose with children and pets around."

Over the last few years the woods have been a hotspot for sightings of a black panther.

The legend of the “Beast of Bucks” has been circulating since 2001 when experts confirmed they had found puma footprints on Wycombe Heights Golf Centre, in Loudwater.

Carlos said: "It must have been a powerful animal to have done this to her.

"I was terrified because the area where we walk is frequented by lots of dog walkers and children."

Terrified locals have reported sightings of a massive creature stalking the area.

And Carlos said that people had recently been talking about seeing a large black panther in the woods.

(Image: WESSEX)

Carlow is now pleading dog walkers to “be very careful” when walking in the area.

He said: "It is lucky Daisy is a larger dog - a smaller dog that gets caught up in something like that could be dead."

Rick Minter, author of BIG CATS - Facing Britain's Wild Predators, told Daily Star Online that there were guidelines pet owners could follow to avoid further big cat attacks.

He said: “If people are concerned about walking with dogs where there have been big cat sightings, they could avoid dawn and dusk, watch their dogs behaviours and recall the dog quickly if it senses anything unusual.”

(Image: CASCADE)

But Rick also thinks that this attack might have been caused by another animal.

He said: "If a puma or a black leopard ambushed a dog it would most likely be a quick affair and a sudden despatch.

“Usually these cats would only strike when they are confident they can make a clean despatch and not get injured themselves.”

Rick also reckons that it would be totally possible for massive black cats to stay hidden in Britain without ever being seen.

(Image: GETTY)

But Adam Maxton, a vet at Temple End Surgery, tried to play down the fears of massive cats.

He said: "It is highly unlikely that a panther has caused that. It is more likely to be a deer with antlers."

But despite some doubters, many Brits are certain that big cats are roaming the countryside.

This year has seen a huge surge of large cat sightings, and Daily Star Online have produced a map to help find out if they hunt near your town.

This week there were claims that new breeds of super cats were on the loose in the British countryside as leopards and pumas mate.

Have you seen any big cats roaming the UK? Email alex.hickson@dailystar.co.uk