A puma was spotted on the loose on the north Antrim coast last nightPolice officers and members of the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals searched the area around the seaside town of Portrush and the villages of Portballintrae and Bushmills.
Insp Milne Roundtree of Coleraine PSNI warned the public not to approach the animal.
He said: "This is a large, wild cat which may have escaped from a private collection. We are co-ordinating a search with the USPCA to locate the animal. Anyone who sights the animal is advised to contact Coleraine police immediately." - (PA)