A RARE South American rodent has been sighted at least three times in the Upton-upon-Severn area over the past fortnight.

Members of the public have reported several sightings of an animal resembling a capybara to the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

The capybara is the world's largest rodent and is as big as a large dog, with a blunt snout and no obvious tail.

It is semi-aquatic and feeds on short grassland vegetation, often going into rivers to cool down or escape from predators.

The first sighting was reported a couple of weeks ago by a canoeist on the River Severn, somewhere between Worcester and Tewkesbury.

On the second occasion another animal said to resemble a capybara was seen in the river at Tewkesbury.

The latest report came from Brotheridge Green, just over a mile from the river at Upton-upon-Severn.

John Hodson, of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust, said: "We're really intrigued. If they are accurate sightings I can only guess that one or more capybara may have escaped from a private collection.

"There is a possibility that it may be a case of mistaken identity and people may be seeing muntjac deer but we can't be sure."

Mr Hodson said the capybara did not appear to be present in large enough numbers to cause problems for native wildlife or to harm riverside habitats.

The former Malvern Hills Children's Zoo at Welland kept capybaras among its attractions. But the animals were sold off by the owners in 1998, the year before the zoo closed.

Before its closure, the zoo was one of the most popular attractions in the Malvern area.