She came face-to-face with a lion, stroked the feathers of a parrot and picked mud off the back of a rhino. And they were just some of the highlights for Lorna Roberts, as she enjoyed an exclusive tour of Flamingo Land Zoo with resident celebrity vet Matt Brash. The 10-year-old from Knaresborough, a self-confessed animal fanatic, won the dream trip in a competition organised by Burgess Pet Care to promote National Rabbit Week, which took place in January. “Lorna, who has a pet tortoise and a corn snake at home, said: “My favourite animal was the giant tortoise because it reminded me of my own tortoise Dinion, but I also met penguins, meerkats, parrots, rhinos and wallabies – so many amazing creatures. “Meeting Matt was brilliant as well. He was really friendly, just like he is on Zoo Vet, and he told me all about each animal as we went into the different enclosures. Spending time with him really makes me want to be a zookeeper when I’m older, because it must be nice working with animals every day.” Lorna won for the trip after writing a superb rabbit-themed poem that amazed Matt and a judging panel at Burgess. It was chosen from hundreds of entries received from across the country and tells tale of a stray rabbit wandering the streets of Starbeck………. Rabbit Without An Owner by Lorna Roberts, 10 A rabbit with eyes so bright, They are diamonds in the dark early morning, Once in a soft and cosy home, Now in a discarded box in town, Its soft long ears prick up when a fast car goes by, The stray rabbit sniffs the old bread crumbs on the dirty pavement, His whiskers stick out in every direction possible, His feet are battered with mud and sharp bits of litter, The wild rabbit’s fur looks soft, Really it’s knotty and scruffy. His fur is black and white, It is like the stripey zebra, He hops with a fast rhythm, People walk past and wonder what a rabbit is doing on the streets of Starbeck, When people walk slowly past and look at him, He stares and hopes they will take him home, But no one ever does, He sits outside the bakers and gets given warm soft bread to eat, He recognises a man coming out of the bakers, Was it his old owner? A volcano erupted inside the tall, skinny and cheery man, Yes! I found you! …….Christine Neasham, marketing director at Burgess Pet Care, commented: “Lorna clearly put a lot of thought into her poem, and she was a thoroughly deserving winner. We’re delighted she had such a wonderful day at Flamingo Land, and I hope she continues to love animals and fulfils her ambition of following in Matt’s footsteps.” Matt Brash, who has been Flamingo Land Zoo’s resident vet since 1990, believes Lorna certainly has what it takes. He said: “We were able to take Lorna with us for our regular daily rounds, and she showed a great affinity with the animals. “Children can often be quite daunted when they meet larger animals up close, but Lorna had no such fear when she was helping me with our African Lions or giant tortoise. The team and I were all thoroughly impressed with her animal handling skills – which are very important in this job – and I’m sure she would make an excellent veterinarian or zookeeper.” Burgess National Rabbit Week ran from 21-27 January and was supported by more than 900 vets across the country, who offered free rabbit check-ups and advice. Keep checking www.nationalrabbitweek.co.uk for details about next year’s events and activities.