AS A crocodile of children snaked their way through the school gates of a Hampshire school there was no sign that a black panther could be at large.

But the school run at West End's St James Primary School has taken on a safari-style atmosphere after two sightings of a big cat.

I turned big game-hunter to try to track down the beast which has caused a stir in the leafy lanes.

I was able to use all my experience gained on jungle sorties with the Army in Kenya to try to find clues to the whereabouts of the mystery animal.

But my countryside sweep of the area around the school drew a blank on what has become one of the biggest talking points of the village.

There was not even a tell-tale paw print to put me on the right track.

Big cat alert went out on Tuesday morning after a teacher spotted a black panther-like animal stalking around the school perimeter as she arrived at 7.40 am.

Head teacher Alec Smith immediately declared the school playing fields a no- go zone and a letter of warning went out to parents.

Although the re-strictions are still in force and the school remains on high alert there was no panther panic at school which situated off a country lane.

Four Shetland ponies were grazing peacefully in a field oblivious to the fact that a far from friendly fellow creature could be lurking in the undergrowth.

As I began my investigations I discovered from the school's lollipop lady Susan Puddick that it is not the first time that a big cat has been seen roaming the area.

She said: "Some years ago a large black cat was seen around here."

The description of the latest sighting, however, made it abundantly clear that this was not just a big black Labrador.

She said: "It has been described as black, large, with a very long tail and a fairly large head."

Parents arriving at the school with their children were reluctant to share with the Daily Echo their theories about the big cat speculation. Those who were prepared to talk said there had been no panic and they praised the school head for keeping the situation calm.

One mother said: "The children were excited that there was a big cat around. Some said they had even seen it."

Local postman Simon Payton, 36, was putting a brave face on the fact that his country round was now in big cat territory.

He said: "When people first mentioned it I thought someone was having a laugh."

The area is a haven for wildlife, including foxes and bats. So there would be no shortage of packed lunches if West End's unwelcome visitor gets hungry on its own school run.

Police wildlife crime officer Geoff Culbertson has warned that the animal would only become dangerous if people tried to catch it.

He said: "Their senses are 100 times better than our own so you probably won't get anywhere near it. But if someone tries to kill it and it becomes wounded then it is more likely to go for an easy target like a child."

Bill Hall, animal information liaison officer for Marwell Zoological Park near Winchester, commenting on the West End sightings said: "It highly unlikely to be an exotic animal. Ninety- nine per cent of the time it is mistaken identity - either a large moggie or even a Labrador in a half light can be misleading."

He said that any big cats released by their owners immediately after the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act would not be alive now.

Mr Hall said: "We are talking about cats born in the wild and possibly third generation . That is highly unlikely in West End."

The animal would be able to survive in the British winter because it could live in such places as Siberia.

But finding food could be its major survival problem.

Its prey would include deer and hare. Its preferred habitat is thick wooded or forest areas.

Mr Hall said people should be aware of the dangers of an animal which when fully grown weighs between eight to ten stone.