Century-old zoo welcomes century-old visitors

An East Sussex zoo has welcomed dozens of centenarians to an event marking its own hundredth year.

Drusillas Park, founded as a tea cottage at Alfriston in 1925, invited the over-100-year-olds for a tour of the park and a free cream tea.

The visitors also met the attraction's lemurs, which Drusillas Park said was the only species that had been present there throughout its history.

"I brought my daughter here and many years later my granddaughter, so yes, it's so nice to be back here," said Peter Valentine, who is 101.

Mr Valentine, from Eastbourne, was at the event with Heather Valentine, who said: "I went when I was a small child. I don't remember it very well but I enjoyed it."

Diana Benton, 101, said she had "so many lovely memories" from when she had brought her children to the park.

They "loved coming here", she added.

The park's managing director Cassie Poland said: "We wanted to celebrate our centenary with others who share this incredible milestone and create a magical day to honour their stories and memories."

Drusillas Park was founded by Captain Douglas Ann and his wife Drusilla with animals including a lemur called Georgina and a chimpanzee called Tarzan.

It remained in the Ann family until it was sold to Ms Poland's parents, Laurence and Christine Smith, in 1997.

The zoo now looks after 80 different species including critically endangered animals such as yellow-breasted capuchin monkeys and cotton-tailed tamarins.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.