WHEN a leaflet for South Lakes Animal Park came through our door, there was no holding the children back.

They fought over the pamphlet advertising the "safari-on-foot" venue in Dalton-in-Furness - we simply had to visit.

So on a Saturday, we made our way over to Cumbria to enjoy this "great wild experience" which is celebrating its tenth birthday this year.

Owner David Gill - who can be seen strolling through the park in a bush hat - is apparently considering moving the zoo closer to the M6... what a good idea.

Getting to the required junction on the motorway is no problem - but the drive from there drags on for around half an hour.

We arrived at the zoo, frazzled and fractious, entering the park via a congested entertainment area of shop (busy), picnic area (full) and cafe (noisy).

Granted, it's the school holidays, but thankfully, the park itself is great - apart from narrow paths surrounding enclosures, which get very busy at animal-feeding times.

David Gill is the animal nutritionist whose brainchild all this is.

This 32-year-old father-of-two built this zoo because he wanted to bring education and conservation to the public, up-close and personal. He even wrote the zoo guidebook and took all the photographs - and he has a similar venture in Australia, where rainforest meets the outback.

He still designs and builds all the facilities, with the help of staff, giving the park a kind of home-made feel you either love or loathe. More than 200,000 people visit every year, attracted by the free-roaming lemurs, kangaroos, Sumatran tigers, the UK's only spectacled bears and a vast range of other animals from all around the world.

Add to this that most of the creatures are in an open environment - unlike at most zoos - so you can understand why our two girls had a fantastic time.

The youngest growled happily at the lions - a hobby she also indulges in at home, and got very excited at the sight of huge "teddy bears". The eldest, four this month, couldn't tear herself away from most of the animals - the cheetahs, giraffes, emus, bats, rhinos, monkeys . . .

They both enjoyed feeding the ducks and watching the fish leap up from the pond and didn't seem particularly bothered about the fact that the pampered kangaroos ignored hand-feeding efforts (you can buy their food at the shop).

They liked the lemurs, too, but those were more interested in our bags. I can report back that lemur fur is thick and ever-so soft, but staff were quick to brusquely point out that touching them is not permitted. Nor is eating or drinking in the Australian enclosure.

To many visitors, seeing the Sumatran tigers taking their food from the top of poles - this is the world's top conservation centre of this species - is a real highlight. These animals, according to the literature, will be extinct within the year if poachers kill just one a day.

You can also watch the lions compete for their food, meet a snake, help feed the lemurs and watch the rhinos, spectacled bears and giraffes getting their food.

Youngsters can also ride on the miniature train.

But for us, the animals were enough - and the girls' great wild experience ended as these things always do - with a peaceful snooze in the back of the car.

Fact file

South Lakes Wild Animal Park is at Crossgates, Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria LA15 8JR, tel 01229 466086, www.wildanimalpark.co.uk

Leave the M6 at junction 36, and follow brown tourist signs (depicting an elephant) on the A590 to Barrow.

The park is open all year, from 10am to 5pm, winter until 4.30pm. Closed Christmas Day. No dogs allowed.

Admission £9.50 adults, children aged 3-15/OAPs £6. Guide books £1.50

Five per cent of the admission price is donated to the Sumatran Tiger Trust.

There are disabled and baby toilet facilities, a gift shop, playground and picnic tables.

No smoking at the park apart from a designated outdoor smoking area.