A BILLIONAIRE today told how he fears the North London big cat on the loose is a cheetah after armed cops searched his garden.

Nirmal Sethia revealed officers swooped on "Billionaire's Row" last night with machine guns, and cornered the escaped cat in his property before it gave them the slip.

The 78-year-old witnessed the bizarre scene before warning he thinks it could be a danger to families in the exclusive spot.

The tycoon behind Newby Teas said: "At 9.30pm all of the police officers came and explained to me there is a wild cat which is loose and asked, 'Would you kindly allow us to go into the garden and have a look for it?'.

"The garden is huge, and there are lots of trees where it could be hidden. Police said it could be a cheetah.

"Slowly more and more people started coming and about 12 police, then 15 to 20.

"Most of them had guns, some had machine guns. Some had those electronic tasers.

"They identified the cat. They were totally vigilant. The cat was hidden behind in the bushes and made its way along the back of my garden.

"In the morning I was told the cat had escaped. They had the guns, they had everything. Why did they allow it to escape?

"I believe it was an excuse [to say it was a Savannah cat]. If you look at the picture, it's a cheetah.

'IT LOOKS DANGEROUS'

"There are crazy people. Somebody who's influential or has money, he decides to have a cheetah and keep it in the house.

"It may have gone back to the owner. If it escaped and it's loose, then the risk is there. I don't know what the truth is.

"I hope the owner is questioned on why they want to keep a dangerous species.

"The cat may not be dangerous, but it looks dangerous. For those that don't know what's going on, it's a terror.

"I've got two two-year-old grandchildren. We have a garden. My instruction to the staff and nanny is to keep them safe.

"It's scary. Thank god it happened in the evening. The focus should be is finding out who is the owner?"

The big cat escaped from the garden of a mansion on Billionaires' Row, in leafy Hampstead, it is believed.

Other neighbours said they were nervous about letting their children or small pets out in their gardens.

One woman, who only gave her name as Maria, said: "I'm not letting my puppy out in the garden, that's for sure, until I know it's found.

"The police must find it and speak to the owner as soon as possible. "I'm not happy about it. I hope it's not a danger."

The Metropolitan Police has tried to comfort the public by saying it was not deemed a danger and no attacks had been reported.

A spokesperson said: "Officers attended the scene. An animal expert also attended and visually assessed the cat; it was concluded the animal was not thought to be dangerous or a threat to the public.

"The cat made off from the garden; enquiries continue to locate it.

"There have been no reports of attacks or injuries to members of the public."

A picture taken by a local, as the cat stalked around their garden, showed the beast arched up on all fours as if it was ready to pounce on prey.

One unnamed resident tweeted the cat escaped from a house in Bishops Avenue, often referred to 'Billionaires' Row' due to the plush properties that line the street.

He said: “Rumours that a wildcat has been spotted on Winnington Road this evening.

"A friend who lives nearby says there are lots of police cars and a helicopter is over head.

“A Savannah cat has escaped from a house in Bishops Avenue.”

Officers were joined by an animal expert as they surrounded the feline but were unable to catch it.

The Metropolitan Police said the cat was not deemed to be a danger to the public and no attacks had been reported.

Armed officers were later stood down, a spokesman said.

CAT SIGHTING

He added: “Police were called at approximately 21:00hrs on Monday, 25 May to reports of a large cat seen in a garden in Winnington Road, N2.

“Officers attended the scene.

“An animal expert also attended and visually assessed the cat; it was concluded the animal was not thought to be dangerous or a threat to the public.

“The cat made off from the garden; enquiries continue to locate it.

“There have been no reports of attacks or injuries to members of public.”

The cat is still on the loose and it is believed the same Savannah was spotted in a garden in Brim Hill, close to Hampstead, in East Finchley today.

Savannah cats are seen as attractive, exotic pets by owners and were first bred in the UK in the 1980s.

They are a hybrid of an African Serval and a domestic cat, with males growing up to 16inches.

In comparison the average height for a domesticated cat is just under 10inches.

Serval cats and other wild breeds are illegal in the UK but are often kept in private zoos similar to those shown on Netflix’s Tiger King.

FEROCIOUS 'SUPERCAT'

Yesterday's sighting was not the first time a big cat has sent a ripple of fear through Hampstead.

Last year a panicked mum was forced to save her two young children from a ferocious “supercat” as it stalked them in their garden.

Dr Neetu Nirdosh hurled a toy at the spotted beast as it snapped at the petrified kids.

Mum Neetu, of Hampstead, North London, found son Alexander, four and daughter Falcon, five, frozen in fear as the leopard-spotted beast circled.

She said: “My heart was jumping out of my chest. As I ran outside I saw it pulling at Falcon’s jumper.

“It was taller than my children and was just circling them like it was working them out. It’s teeth were showing.

“I thought at first it was a cheetah — or something that had escaped from a zoo.”

ON THE PROWL

There have been a number of big cat sightings over the past year, the most recent coming earlier this month in Devon.

A spooked local reported a big black cat prowling close to a decapitated lamb, while another man later claimed to have taken photos of the beast – snapping a large black animal stalking through a field.

The man said: "It appeared to be mauling something in the grass.

"It got scared by my presence and this was when you could tell it was a large cat, from the way it ran through the long grass."

In August, a photographer claimed to see a dog-sized cat prowling around the Yorkshire countryside.

John Pearson, 46, was taking pictures at St Aidan's Nature Reserve near Leeds when the mysterious creature caught his eye.

And last April, a Labrador-sized feline was filmed prowling a field near a Cotswolds pub as police and the RSPCA told of a hamlet in Cornwall where pets have vanished is being stalked by a large panther-like animal.

Several people claim to have seen the 'Beast of Ossett' which has been spotted prowling in the woodland and fields around the West Yorkshire town.

There have also been a number of alleged sightings of the 'Wildcat of the Wolds' near Driffield, East Riding, Yorkshire, where incidents of mutilated livestock were reported as well.

Back in 2016, Lee Clifford thought he had captured a photograph of a wildcat roaming the countryside near Hull.

SAVANNAH CATS

• Savannah cats are a controversial breed between a domestic cat and a Serval, a wild African cat.
• The breed began in the mid 1980s and have become popular pets as well as featuring in private zoos.
• Savannah cats are tall, slim, and long-legged cat but their general size relies on how close they are to the first generation that was bred. Male Savannah cats tend to be larger than females.
• They are known for being sociable and can get on well with children and even other animals.
• Savannahs cann be trained to walk on a lead, play fetch, and even sometimes perform tricks.
• In the UK it is not legal to own a Serval or a first generation Savannah cat.
• The RSPCA has also expressed some concern about the affect that the Savannah cat may have on the natural wildlife of the UK due to the cat’s keen hunting instincts.

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