Zoo which is a favourite with visitors from Northamptonshire is fighting for survival

Twycross Zoo is fighting for survival after being forced to put reopening plans on hold.

Gutted staff at the 57-year-old attraction — which is hugely popular with visitors from Northamptonshire — were stunned by a change in the lockdown laws which means the zoo could have to stay closed well into the summer.

The zoo, which is also conservation charity, needs £500,000 A MONTH to look after 500 animals and more than 125 species and relies heavily on income through the gates.

But that has been zero since it closed on March 23.

CEO Dr Sharon Redrobe said: “This is a such a frustrating time for all at Twycross Zoo, and this decision to close us ‘indefinitely’ leaves us fighting for our survival.

“We have remained closed to protect the public, our staff and animals from any risks.

"As the lockdown restrictions slowly started to lift we were hopeful that Twycross Zoo along with other large rural conservation zoos, may be able to reopen safely.

“We are ready with a plethora of measures to ensure everyone’s safety and strongly believe that our zoo would provide a safe place for people to enjoy a much-needed day out.

“It is disappointing that large rural conservation zoos, like ours, seem to be being grouped with other venues that maybe can’t manage measures as easily due to the nature of their environment.”

Twycross, near Atherstone, has already missed out on lucrative business from three bank holidays and had hoped to finally reopen with restrictions on numbers of visitors, online bookings and timed slots to stagger arrivals, a one-way route around the zoo and multiple hygiene stations.

Monday's latest Government announcement on the easing of the lockdown scuppered that and now Twycross is banking on its relaunched donations campaign to keep going after failing to qualify for a Government grant of up to £100,000 from the share of Zoo Support Fund which is reserved to protect smaller organisations.

Dr Redrobe added: “We are pleading with the Government to reconsider our plight, which has quickly now turned into a fight for survival.

"We have no choice but to fight this hard. Now is not the time to be losing vital contributors, like ourselves, to world conservation and sadly, following this decision, this is now the reality for our zoo.