NEW on the bookshelves in time for Christmas is 'Rescuing the Spectacled Bear, a Peruvian Diary'. It is penned by the actor Stephen Fry and is illustrated with numerous photographs by Rob Fraser, of Hodgeston, near Lamphey.

Rob and his partner Polly Sheasby spent a total of two months travelling throughout Peru with the actor and a film production unit. The first of two programmes was concerned with tracing the roots of the much-loved children's character Paddington Bear, who came from 'Deepest, Darkest Peru'.

It was during the making of this that the crew came into contact with the country's own ursine native, the Spectacled Bear. Extremely shy, the species is an inhabitant of the Amazonian cloud forest, but the Wildlife Service had alerted them to one being held in captivity in a remote Andean village.

On reaching the village, they discovered two-year-old Yogi, held in a tiny pen and obviously malnourished. Some deft bartering with agricultural tools, school equipment and footballs secured the bear's release and he was flown to be placed in a very much larger cage at Aguas Calientes, in the shadow of the ancient Incan citadel Machu Piccu.

A second programme commissioned by the BBC dealt with Stephen Fry coming to the rescue of a number of other bears held in appalling conditions around the country. The most poignant part of the hour-long documentary showed Yogi being introduced to a saved female, Paula. Such was their on-screen chemistry it is hoped that they will breed within the next year.

On the back of the programme, a charity has been set up to help with the plight of this endangered species in a variety of ways, including the education of the hill farmers in the region. Additionally, a 200-acre sanctuary is being established as a holding area for some of the bears prior to their re-introduction into the wild.

The Bear Rescue Foundation has hugely benefited from Stephen Fry donating all his proceeds from the book and more information on the work of the charity can be found on its website http://www.bear-rescue.tv">www.bear-rescue.tv

"It was an amazing experience working with the crew and seeing the bears at close-hand," said Rob, a former reporter and photographer with the Tenby Observer. "Peru is a wonderful, colourful place and I would love to be able to return again in the not too distant future. The people are very friendly and tourism has not spoilt it yet. If you get the chance then go."

Keen for more work in this field, Rob is waiting on the chance to work for the BBC on two other projects, one on a series of wines of the world and the other on music.