Telford Exotic Zoo a hit with opening day visitors - with pictures

Television's animal man, Scott Adams, has realised his dream of turning his animal education centre into a public zoo and said the reaction from visitors has been fantastic.

Hundreds of people toured the new visitor attraction at the Lakeside Plant and Garden centre in Priorslee.

"Although we have had an education centre for some time now this is the first time we have been able to fully open to the public," he said.

He said that everyone seemed to have a different favourite but said he meerkats and the skunks has proved particularly popular.

"Meerkats are always popular but all the animals, birds and reptiles have attracted attention."

"It is wonderful to be able to change people's perceptions. People think skunks are smelly but here they can get up close to them and realise that they are not smelly at all."

"We have been run off our feet all weekend, it has been great. We have a brilliant team of both paid staff and volunteers who have worked so hard to make sure that all the visitors have enjoyed themselves.

"What we want to do is make sure that people can not only see what we have here but be able touch them and most importantly go away understanding more about them."