THE mother of missing Portchester hiker Jeffery Moore has written to 130 Italian monasteries in an attempt to trace her son.

Anxious Marion Moore hopes each monastery will display a poster she has made up in four languages appealing for information.

It is now six months since the 37-year-old disappeared after leaving the Austrian mountain resort of Heiligenblut on August 25.

He was reported missing by his partner Marilyn Burt when he failed to return to the hotel.

A major mountain search failed to find any trace of Mr Moore, who lived in Webb Road, Portchester, and worked for a Gosport camping equipment firm.

Mrs Moore said: "Myself and my other son, Malcolm, have put the posters together. We sent the last ones out last week.

"We have asked for the monasteries to acknowledge our letters so we know they have received them.

"For all we know Jeffery might not be in Italy, but it just a hunch that we are working on."

Mrs Moore, 58, says she will not give up hope until her son is found.

She believes Jeffery, who is an experienced mountain climber, may have found his way into a neighbouring country after suffering memory loss, possibly after an accident.

Last month his disappearance was featured on an Italian television programme that tries to trace missing people.

However, the appeal on Chi L'Ha Bisto? - which means 'Have You Seen Them?' - drew a blank.