GWENT is now officially the big cat capital of England and Wales, with more reported sightings than any other area, according to figures from the British Big Cat Society.

It appears the elusive Beast of Trellech is becoming slightly less bashful than some of his high-profile UK counterparts with 72 reported sightings of a big cat in Gwent during 2001.

The figure is the highest in England and Wales, and puts famous big cat hotspots such as Bodmin Moor in Cornwall in the wilderness.

Nearly all of the sightings are in rural Monmouthshire and the Wye Valley, with a small number on the outskirts of Newport.

The massive rise comes after Josh Hopkins, then aged ten, claimed he was attacked by a black panther while playing near his home in Trellech in August 2000.

Experts believe that scores of pumas, lynxes and leopards are living wild in the UK, although none have been caught on film or camera.

Danny Nineham, from the BBCS, said: "One of the main reasons for this rise was that before last year, the public had no UK organisation to report what they have seen. They now know they will be taken seriously and it is as if the floodgates have opened.

"The British Big Cat Society is now trying to gain sponsorship and donations to purchase trigger cameras which will be placed in the wild to try and finally capture a big cat on film.

"The cats are so secretive and elusive, it seems the best chance of getting a clean photo." said Mr Nineham. "However, first we need to raise money to get the cameras."

If you can help,contact Mr Nineham at the BBCS on 01594 844182, or 07790 667327, or visit the website: www. britishbigcats.org

PC Andrew Mason said: "It has gone quiet recently, we have only had a few reports in the last few months."

* In the picture: Pumas like this are believed to be on the loose in Gwent