Haven't personally been out to Shropshire but this kind of report always catches my attention. We get similar stuff on Dartmoor fairly regularly - big black cat sightings, prints in the mud, livestock found in a state that doesn't quite match a fox attack. The size comparison to a Labrador is interesting because that puts it well outside any domestic cat range, you're talking something the size of a small puma at that point.
What I'd want to know is the exact location and time of day, because big cats tend to be most active at dawn and dusk and thats when misidentification is also most likely. Not saying you're wrong, just saying the data helps build a proper picture.
Has anyone managed to get any photos or even just a decent footprint cast? That's always the thing that moves these sightings from "interesting story" to something researchers can actually work with. If anyone near the Shropshire hills wants to coordinate a proper night out with trail cams I reckon this thread could be a good starting point.
