A UTILITY giant has donated their lion's share of leftover materials to a unique charity which transforms them into wacky toys for wild animals.
Centrica in Barrow have teamed up with international NGO, The Shape of Enrichment, for a rare project which makes chew toys, feeders and hammocks for monkeys, lions and giraffes from recycled hose pipes.
Craig May, operations HSE advisor at Centrica's Barrow gas terminals said: "It's not every day we get asked to help make a hammock for a lion, but it is a brilliant idea which we were keen to help with.
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"A quick look in the stores at the Barrow gas terminals and we realised we had three hoses to donate.
"It’s great to know that these fire hoses can be recycled and have a second life improving the welfare of animals in zoos and wildlife parks across the country."
Centrica has pledged hundreds of old hose pipes to the charity in a bid to help create a more stimulating environment for the likes of big cats and bears in wildlife parks and zoos across the UK.
Because of their strong and durable nature, fire hoses are very useful for making feeders and hammocks for primates and big cats as they last much longer under the strain of sharp claws and teeth.
Another spokesman for Centrica, Ross Davidson said: "It's good to give them away and we've been told the amount we have donated will see the charity through to the next three years.
"After a certain amount of time we need to get new hoses for safety and rather than chuck them out, it's good to give them away.
"I'm not even sure they have enough space to store all the hoses we have to give."
The firm first became involved in the project last month and Mr Davidson said the project "a brilliant initiative to get behind."
Working in partnership with many wildlife centres and zoos, the Shape of Enrichment were thrilled with generosity of the Barrow based energy company.
A spokesman for the charity, Mark Kingston Jones said: "We’re over the moon with what they’ve been able to donate."
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