AN Animal-crazy teenager from Redditch had a birthday she will never forget.

16-year-old Chloe Tustin, along with her mum Tracey Green, from Bushley Close, recently turned keeper for the day with when she joined staff at Dudley Zoo.

Chloe got to work with Sumatran tigers and Rothschild giraffes at the tourist attraction, as part of the 40-acre site's Keeper for a Day experience.

Mum Tracey said: "I bought the experience for Chloe for her 16th birthday and it was wonderful to be there and share the day with her. We had an amazing time.

"I booked it for Chloe as she is mad on tigers but being a keeper for the day allowed us to experience all aspects of the zoo.

"We did get to pet and feed the Sumatran tigress, Daseep.

"We adopted the male, Joao, as a Christmas present for Chloe so she was absolutely over the moon to see him.

She added: "This is something we will never forget."

As well as seeing what goes on behind the scenes at zoo the pair helped staff with their daily duties including feeding, cleaning and caring for the collection, many of which are endangered species.

The zoo's chief executive Peter Suddock said: "We introduced Keeper For a Day and Little Zoo Keepers for eight to 13-year-olds as an experience a few years ago and it has proved so successful that staff are kept busy with requests from all over the country."

Mr Suddock added: "It's a unique opportunity to get close to some of the rarest animals on the planet and work alongside our keepers with a wide range of exotic and endangered species most folk see only on their TV screens, and funds raised through the scheme support exciting conservation and animal projects at the zoo."