Wolverhampton animal park hit by blaze

Jimmy Wick has been forced to close Wickid Pets in Wolverhampton after the triple impact of falling visitor numbers, increasing overheads and the ever-growing cost of feeding his exotic animal collection.

As Mr Wick began to burn rubbish and scenery from the venture he originally started with his brother Ben four years earlier, flames however got out of control.

Six chipmunks being kept at the park, off Stafford Road in Dunstall, were unharmed in the blaze.

Two crews of firefighters were called to the business at around 4pm yesterday and were faced with the task of weaving in between miniature giraffe and zebra models to douse the flames.

Mr Wick said the fire added insult to the injury of the business's demise.

He said: "I never wanted to close it but we had a washout year. Numbers were down, food costs went up and so did our other costs like electricity and water.

"I'd just been trying to get rid of some of the stuff and the wind meant the fire got a bit out of control."

The collection of animals from the old business have either been re-homed or continued to be looked after by Mr Wick at his Wednesfield home.

At the peak of the business, the animals included foxes, monkeys, armadillos, meerkats, reindeer, micro pigs and owls.

Mr Wick added: "There were no animals anywhere near the fire. We were just burning rubbish and it escalated. I am in the middle of taking scenery away at the moment.

"I am now in the process of selling the site off and the deal is at a delicate point but the people who are interested do not want to reveal who they are because of commercial sensitivity at the moment."

Mr Wick said he had been left "heartbroken" about the closure of the business.

He added: "I was devastated when I took the decision but I could not see what else I could do. We had tremendous support from the community but it wasn't enough to keep us going.

"The animals were always the most important thing for me so I had to close the business rather than compromise anything about the way they were looked after."

Wickid Pets originally opened in July 2009. Around £1 million was spent transforming wasteland at the side of Jim and Ben's exotic pet shop in Gorsebrook Road into the animal park.

Before closing Mr Wick was insistent he would not raise visitors' entrance fees beyond £2.50. Days after first warning he would close because of rising bills, his business was also targeted by yobs who made off a charity collection tin containing £250 and trashed tearooms and personal items including a fibreglass crocodile model.