A COLLECTION of small African animals and birds have moved in next door to Peppa Pig at a new attraction launching at the popular cartoon character's theme park.

Paultons Park – home to Peppa Pig World in Romsey – has unveiled its new Little Africa enclosure, which features meerkats, porcupines, lizards, millipedes and even cockroaches.

At the centre of the new enclosure is an aviary with a mix of bird species perching on an imitation baobab tree and watering hole, including trumpeter hornbills, Madagascar teal and black-crowned night herons.

And an enclosure has been created for the meerkats, with an indoor enclosure for nocturnal animals including one of the largest rodents in Africa, the Gambian pouched rat, and the smallest, the African pygmy mouse.

James Mancey, operations director at Paultons Park, near Romsey, Hampshire, said: "Now in our 35th year, we want to continue to improve and add to our offering. 2018 is set to be an exciting year to visit Paultons Park, with the launch of two new attractions there will be something new for children of all ages to experience.

"Little Africa is going to be an educational, interactive and exciting attraction. There will be a number of animals that children, and even parents, will have not seen before."

Little Africa will open to the public for the first time on Sunday.