Alpacas and llamas at a charity in St Columb Major have been enjoying a late festive feast after being treated to recycled Christmas trees.

Mary Harvey, who runs CHAT – Chy Lowen Alpacas Tregaswith, launched an appeal for people to donate left over Christmas trees as camelids are known to munch on the pine needles.

The charity, which helps children through animal assisted therapy, was so inundated with Christmas trees they had to put out an announcement appealing to people to stop bringing them along. They now have more than 100 donated Christmas trees, which will last the alpacas and llamas three months.

Mary said: “We belong British Llama Society and it’s well-known alpacas and llamas like to eat Christmas. They love them Usually they browse from hedgerows so this supplements diet with vitamin C and antioxidants.

“We had more than 100 Christmas trees donated, which keep us going for three months as ever green trees and will last in cold

“We were told Christmas trees are dumped around St Columb Major on the Rec so our appeal is doing a community service stopping fly tipping, is environmentally friendly and provides an important enrichment activity.”