Lion on the loose: Big cat sighting triggers feline frenzy in Berlin

Police are hunting for a lioness on the outskirts of Berlin, after members of the public reported seeing a wild animal prowling near their homes. 

The alarm was raised around midnight on Thursday after passers-by phoned police in Brandenburg to report they had seen "an animal chasing another", according to police spokesman Daniel Keip. 

"One was a wild boar and the other was obviously a lioness," he said. "Both men also recorded a video on their mobile phones and experienced police officers confirmed it was probably a lioness." 

Others have expressed scepticism towards the alert, with a local circus director saying he would "eat his hat" if it was a lion. 

Those living in the German capital's southwestern districts were first asked by officers not to leave their homes, though the warning zone was later extended to peripheral municipalities between Berlin and Potsdam.

"The wild animal that escaped has not yet been found! Please do not leave your homes," the Brandenburg police wrote on Twitter.

A large number of police have been scrambled in the search, along with vets and two hunters. Two helicopters and drones are assisting their efforts. 

Locals have been urged not to let their pets out, with the mayor of Kleinmachow - one of the municipalities concerned - advising against "walks in the forest and jogging".

Thorsten Thaddey, a resident of the 20,000-person town, told AFP he was arrested during his morning jog. 

"I must say that I was a bit panicked," he said. "It's an animal of a different calibre than a normal dog." 

"I'm going home." 

Another resident, Lutz Peters, feared for his "two dachshunds", which he described as "ideal food for a lion." 

The origin of the possible lioness on the run remains unknown. 

"No animal park, zoo