Dudley Zoo and its wild residents have received a generous donation from a local builder’s merchant to help clear away fallen leaves.

The Dudley branch of Selco Builders Warehouse has donated a number of jumbo sacks to the zoo to help with the leaf clean-up operation.

The venue attracts around 300,000 visitors a year to its 42 acre site, and autumn and winter can be particularly difficult as it struggles to keep on top of the volume of falling leaves that need clearing.

Assistant Curator Jamie Haywood said: “This is a fantastic gesture from Selco and has been hugely helpful to us as a team.

“The Selco sacks have made a huge difference and they have quickened up the process of removing leaves in bulk from the entire site.”

Craig Dickinson, Branch Manager of Selco Dudley, said: “When we heard about the predicament Dudley Zoo had with their leaves, we had no hesitation in helping out straight away.

“Helping out local communities is a key part of what we are all about at Selco and hopefully this donation will prove beneficial to both staff and animals.”