Residents at a care home in Kelvedon enjoyed a visit from a collection of farmyard animals.

Four pygmy goats and five chicks visited St Dominics Residential Home, in London Road, Kelvedon, and spent some time bonding with the occupants.

Residents also learned more and the animals, and reminisced about meeting farm animals in their younger days.

A spokesman for St Dominics said: "It was a huge success. Residents spent an hour with pygmy goats snuggled on their laps as well as cute blond and black chicks who also loved the warmth of a kind hand stroking them.

"The handlers took great care to introduce the creatures to the residents, even the ones who were in their rooms rather than in the main lounge areas.

"The only problem was checking that there were still 4 pygmy goats when they left as a couple of the residents looked like they would have smuggled one out under their jumpers, given half a chance."