THE shocking story of Lucy, the pregnant guinea pig used as a football by a gang of Newport youths, is only the latest case of animal cruelty in Gwent.

The Argus revealed yesterday how Lucy was rescued by a brave girl who saw a gang of boys kicking around a cardboard box with the terrified animal inside.

But staff at Newport Animal Centre said: "She's still very stressed - she's absolutely terrified and she may lose the babies, so we're just keeping her quiet.

"She's named Lucy Henman after Tim Henman's wife, because she's pregnant as well." But the attack is only the latest in a string of incidents involving cruelty to animals in Gwent.

And research by the RSPCA suggests that most abusers are male, and that they are often young people.

RSPCA Cymru manager Kate Davies told the Argus: "The responsibility rests with us all to try to prevent animal cruelty, and education is the key.

"Prosecutions are only taken as a last resort."

Last week a pregnant mare was killed during a break-in at a Fochriw stables by persons unknown, branded "sick and demented" by owner Tina Keating.

In February 2001, Gwent dog owner Calvin Smith was banned from keeping an animal for five years after his dog was painted green.

Chloe, a cross-breed bitch, was found cowering in a wardrobe, covered in green paint, by police searching a house in Princess Street, Abertillery, in January 2001. It cost almost £1,000 to remove the paint in a two-and-a-half-hour operation, and she lost much of her coat.

Smith, who did not paint the dog himself, was convicted of cruelty to an animal and ordered to pay half of the veterinary bill.

Chloe, now renamed Bramble, was found a new home and also appeared on TV's Pet Rescue.

In another horrific incident, a dog named Lucky was rescued after being found starving and flea-infested in the Bettws home of Ian Postle in October 2000.

RSPCA inspector Nick De Celis told the Argus: "It was the thinnest dog I had ever had to deal with. He was literally skin and bone. Any worse than that and he would have been dead."

Postle pleaded guilty to neglect and was banned from keeping dogs for ten years. Lucky was also found a new home after a spell at Newport Animal Centre.

The RSPCA is appealing for anyone with any information about Lucy the guinea pig or the youths who attacked her to call them on 08705 555999.