Hard on the heels of gaining Centre of Vocational Excellence status in animal management and veterinary nursing, Sparsholt College has been approved to run the National Zoo Keeper Training Scheme, the only one of its kind in Europe.

Course co-ordinator, Andy Beer, explained: "We are delighted that the Federation of Zoos selected us to be its managing partner and we now offer the advanced national certificate in the management of zoo animals.

"The course will be run as a distance learning programme with students based at seven regional centres - Blackpool, Bristol, Chester, Dudley, Edinburgh, London and Marwell.

"A regional co-ordinator at each centre will administer the course on our behalf and students will attend a regional 'summer' school for five days at Sparsholt in the autumn.

"We expect around 80 students initially to enrol on this challenging new course and a further 40 students during the autumn."