JONTY Edwards has been reunited with his beloved pet owl after five months and a 500-mile, 13-hour round trip.

The 12-year-old had given up hope of ever seeing the barn owl – then called Dylan – after the bird flew off from the family's garden in Clanna.

The owl was found in the Forest and eventually ended up at a birds of prey centre Helmsley in North Yorkshire – where he even appeared in a promotional video for the centre.

It was only when a man from the ministry started asking questions about the owl, who had been named Luna by staff at the centre near Middlesbrough, that the owl was traced back to the Forest where the new name has stuck.

Jonty, a Year Eight pupil at Wyedean School, explained: "I was flying him in the garden when he got spooked and flew off. We went searching for him but we couldn't find him.

"I didn't think we would see him again but he was found about a month later up a tree by a dog because his jess (the strip of leather used to tether a bird) had got caught.

"He'd done well to survive for a month on his own.

"He ended up in a birds of prey centre in Helmsley. They managed to contact us after he was seen by someone from DEFRA (the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) because you need a licence to keep these birds.

"I couldn't believe it when my mum was on the phone and realised they were talking about him.

"When we went to get him he immediately recognised me and came to the edge of the cage. It was brilliant.

"It took about six and a half hours to drive there but it was worth it.

"They named him Luna and we've decided to keep the name because he's got used to it.

Jonty's dad Charlie said: "He's animal-mad and he really wanted an owl and he has done a great job rearing him.

"It's not often you can say 'hurray for DEFRA' but their diligence worked for us! They finally managed to get through to the number, which is for the people who bred Luna originally. They contacted us, and my wife had the job of doing the six and a half hour drive up there to get him back. The round trip with hotels cost £350 – and we only paid £120 for him!"

"In fact, Jonty had trained Luna, so when he was in Yorkshire they actually filmed him for a promotional video, so I don't think they really wanted to let him go."