AN animal-loving artist hopes the sale of his luxury, life-sized sculpture of a black panther will raise funds to aid the plight of big cats.

Keith Mogford intends that the sale of this black panther, named Brutus, will raise money for the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to help with big cat conservation work.

He aims to to sell the bespoke panther, his launch piece, for £12,995 with 10 per cent of the total raised from the sale going to the WWF.

The frame of the big cat is made of resin but the body is covered in countless thousands of jet black Swarovski crystals with the animal's eyes made of sunflower coloured crystals.

The panther, which has handmade whiskers and claws, has already gone on display in Ian Towning's Bourbon Hanby Arcade in Chelsea and now the artist hopes it can find pride of place in someone's home.

Mr Mogford of Droitwich, a former pupil at Bishop Perowne in Worcester, said his work had started as a hobby after being employed in logistics.

He hopes, if he has enough success, art could become a career for him.

He added: "When I started to put the crystals on, the sculpture generated its own skin and seemed to develop its own personality. It would be like having your own pet."

The 34-year-old confessed there were moments when he thought he had bitten off more than he could chew, sometimes working up to 10 hours a day to apply the crystals by hand using tweezers.

He started the painstaking and daunting task in the middle of last year and finished it in September, investing 1,000 hours in the project and redoing any parts he was dissatisfied with.

He now imagines his panther adorning a stately home, perhaps in a large hallway.

The life-size dimensions of the panther - around 5ft by 2.5ft - would mean that the owner would not merely have to have the money to afford the sculpture but possess the space to accommodate it.

He said: "The WWF are really active in the conservation of these animals. That was the inspiration really.

"In certain parts of the world big cats are being hunted to extinction."

Mr Mogford, who describes himself as a stickler for detail, is already planning his next piece, a snow leopard which, with its variegated colours, will provide a fresh challenge.

Materials he intends to use in future include gold and diamond granules and gemstones.

He aims to donate at least 10 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of each piece to charity involved in animal conservation, possibly more depending on whether his work draws enough interest.

All enquires should go to Swarovski.keithmogford@gmail.com or via 07939 004018.