Children in the early years classes at Icknield Walk First School have been lucky enough to enjoy a visit from some furry - and not so furry - new friends.

The team at Spirit of the Wild showed the youngsters an array of interesting animals - including a barn owl, snowy owl, parrot, cockroach, millipede, tarantula, African dormouse, chameleon, two tortoises, snake, skunk, bullfrog and fruit bat.

A school spokeswoman said: "Our visiting animal expert called Ben taught us lots of interesting facts and new vocabulary, such as ‘herbivore’, ‘omnivore’, ‘talon’, ‘carnivore’ and ‘exoskeleton’.

"The children were invited to touch or hold an animal, which they really enjoyed. What a wonderful morning we all had."

Spirit of the Wild brings the largest and most diverse range of wildlife to schools, care homes and more.

See https://www.spiritofthewild.biz for more information.