Northumberland College has taken on two new apprentices at their Kirkley Hall campus.

Kimberley Brown (20), from Whitley Bay, beat competition of more than 80 applicants to be offered the position of Apprentice Animal Keeper at the college’s tourist attraction, Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens.

Kimberley is involved in the day-to-day care of more than 100 animals and she is able to gain valuable knowledge and experience handling them in their enclosures which are designed to replicate their natural habitats.

Horticulture Apprentice Nick McEvoy (20), from Wallsend, works alongside the team of gardening staff at Kirkley Hall to maintain the historical grounds of the estate.

Nick’s daily duties include weeding the ornamental beds and pruning and cutting back the perennial borders of the four hectare estate.