"I've been working with donkeys since I was nine years old, after becoming friendly with one of the donkey drivers on pleasure beach." Peter worked part time, often for nothing. "When I was sixteen years old, he allowed me to work on my own. It was then that I decided that I wanted to buy my own."

After leaving school at sixteen he persistently applied for a loan. After a succession of refusals one bank manager told Peter to try the Princes Trust for financial assistance. Since doing so and being accepted, he hasn't looked back.

Now years later, Peter has a stud of eight donkeys that he looks after and takes down to Blackpool beach, weather permitting.

Peter's father Jim and mother Pauline, talk about their son's commitment and fondness for his animals.

"That's his life, the donkeys are his friends, or his "babies" as he calls them. With no animals around he's lost. If he sets his mind to something then he'll struggle and save until he's done it. He was determined to get a stud of donkeys. He just became a business man overnight, I didn't think he'd make one season - but he did. We're so proud of him."