Animal shelter warns it cannot accommodate any more pigs.

An animal shelter which is braced for an influx of unwanted pets after the festive season has warned that it cannot accommodate any more pigs.

Newcastle Dog and Cat Shelter said it had received seven in the past two years, and blamed the fashion for so-called "micro" or "tea-cup" pigs.

Three of the pigs had been sold under false pretences and then dumped at the shelter when they got too big.

The others were a genuine small breed but were deemed unsuitable as pets.