A HUGE and beautiful moth that is believed to be from India was found in Bournemouth.

It has a five inch wingspan and its wings have curved extensions which make it look like it has a swallow's tail.

Winton resident Ray Coggins noticed it on grass outside a doctor's surgery in Alma Road on Wednesday.

The 53-year-old did some research and believes it is an Indian Moon Moth, which is usually only found in India or Japan.

"It must have only just died because it was almost completely intact," said Ray, a self-employed accountant and bookkeeper. "It's more like a butterfly."

Paul Butter, chairman of the Dorset branch of Butterfly Conservation, said: "It's a very interesting find - there's no way it could survive for long in this country because of the temperature.

"It's a fantastic creature. It's such a big thing it could hardly come over unnoticed in food or in a plant!

"It's probably come from a caterpillar someone bred, which is a shame because we have so many beautiful natural species of butterfly and moth."

An Indian Moon Moth made a cameo appearance in the Lord of Rings films as a messenger used by Gandalf.