Baby reindeer born at Staffordshire farm
Christmas has come early at a farm in Staffordshire where the first baby reindeer of the year has been born.
While elsewhere May is renowned for morris dancing and maypoles, at Blithbury Reindeer Lodge, near Rugeley, it was marked by the arrival of a cute female calf - named May.
The Lodge, which is home to England's largest working reindeer herd, is expecting several arrivals this month, which is traditionally when reindeer calves are born.
May, however, was eager to make an early appearance by arriving on the morning of May 1 to Honeyfloss, herself born at the site.
Lodge owner Steve Swinnerton said " We're all delighted that May has arrived safely and that Honeyfloss is proving to be a natural mum.
"Reindeers are very delicate creatures and unfortunately that means that many calves don't survive being born. May isn't out of the woods yet but between her attentive mum and the staff here at the Lodge she's in the best possible hands.
"She's as cute as a button, we didn't have to wait long for her."
Mr Swinnerton, widely known as The Reindeer Man because of his unrivalled knowledge of the animals, hires out the deer for Christmas events and television shoots.
He has been successfully breeding and training reindeer for almost 20 years, moving to Blithbury eight years ago where he has lovingly converted the former dairy farm into a purpose-built reindeer farm.
He is also one of the founding members of the British Reindeer Herders Association, an organisation set up to protect the welfare of reindeers in the UK through a licensing, training and support programme.
The lodge, which boasts a 150-strong herd, has a zoo licence and is the only place in the country where the public can get up close and feed the reindeer.
The animals, all either homebred or imported from Scandinavia, have been losing their coats over the last couple of months but these will grow back by August/September, he said.
He opens the centre to the public on key dates throughout the year, including the six weeks leading up to Christmas for sleigh rides. For updates on baby May, visit the lodge's Facebook page facebook.com/blithburyreindeer.
