Shoplifters beware! Anyone thinking of taking liberties at an Ammanford indoor shopping centre is in for a big surprise this Christmas.

Welsh Treasures, the Aladdin’s Cave of old and new in Shopper’s World, has taken on a security guard – and he is nine-foot tall and all too familiar with the rough and tumble of jungle life.

Kong the gorilla will certainly not be putting up with any monkey business.

Kong was the brainchild of shop manageress Georgia-May Jones, who fell in love with giant fibre-glass primate while on a buying trip.

“I first saw him at an exhibition in the NEC in Birmingham,” said 19-year-old Georgia-May, from Betws.

“I was looking for something to help promote our gardens section and the moment I saw him I thought he was fantastic.

“I was completely lost for words, but I knew I just had to have him.”

Getting him proved slightly more difficult than Georgia-May first imagined.

“I had to get him sent over from the Philippines,” she said. “Of course with the problems they have had over there recently it took a bit longer than expected.”

Kong arrived in Ammanford in an articulated lorry last week and needed four men to unload him.

“He has certainly been worth all the trouble,” said Georgia-May.

“He has already become the talk of the town and people have started calling in just to see him.

“It is great fun to see people’s surprise when they spot him through the window as they walk past.”

One thing is for sure, Kong looks set to become a permanent member of Welsh Treasures staff and is sure to become Georgia-May’s right-hand man.

“I’ve already had a number of people asking whether I would be interested in selling him and for how much,” she said.

“But Kong is not for sale for any price. He is already part of the Welsh Treasures family.”