'Panther' left by Peterborough police station was toy

Reports of a black panther roaming the streets of Peterborough turned out to be a stuffed toy, police have said.

Members of the public contacted the Cambridgeshire force saying a panther had been seen in the Thorpe Road area of the city, close to the police station.

A spokesman said: "People got in touch, but we did not see it ourselves.

"It was noted that a large black stuffed toy panther had been seen in part of the city earlier in the day."

It is not known who left the toy near the police station on 7 January, or why.