Family-run zoo rated second best in UK

Will Dorrell said the zoo's dinosaurs were its most popular attraction

A family-run zoo has been rated the second best in the UK by users of travel website Tripadvisor.

It's the second year running Hoo Zoo and Dinosaur World in Telford, Shropshire, had been able to claim the honour and this year it was also the ninth-highest rated in Europe.

The site, which used to be a farm, had been in the hands of the Dorrell family since 1988.

Will Dorrell said it was "quite incredible and very, very difficult to believe".

Chester Zoo was rated the top zoo in the UK by Tripadvisor users in the same survey and Mr Dorrell said the achievement was surprising because there were "some fantastic zoos in the UK and in Europe".

The ratings are based on customer reviews on the tourism website.

Mr Dorrell said the zoo tried not to be "corporate and commercial" and believed that was part of its attraction.

The zoo was set up by Edward and Carolyn Dorrell

When the zoo was opened by Mr Dorrell's parents 33 years ago, he said their goal was just to be the best attraction in Telford.

He said their dinosaur attraction, added in recent years, was probably the zoo's most popular feature and it planned to open a new Ice Age area in the summer.

There were also about 400 live animals and Mr Dorrell said teaching conservation was very important to him.