The Palace Puma?

Time for another South London 'Big Cat' story:

'A puma or panther is on the prowl in Crystal Palace according to a journalist who spotted a big cat there on Saturday. The beast - dubbed the Palace Puma - was sighted in some woodland by journalist Helen Barrett, 41, who was out for a walk with her family.

They were so terrified that they fled from the “wild animal” - described as black and 5ft in length - after it approached them on a pathway between Church Road and Auckland Hill at 3.45pm. Mrs Barrett said: “It was quite alarming. At first we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. It was black, the size of a labrador, but walking like a cat. It had to be feline.”

... Mrs Barrett reported the sighting to police who searched the path and woodland parallel to Fox Hill, but said they could find no trace of a big cat.

(full story at This is London, 10 August 2009; previous posts on South London 'Big Cats')