RAINBOW Guides got close up and personal with snakes, millipedes and lizards when they learnt about exotic creatures from around the world.

The girls, aged between five and seven from Blackfen Rainbow Unit, were able to touch the animals, including Madagascan cockroaches, bearded dragons, rabbits and a chinchilla.

Youngsters also learnt about spiders and were shown a Tarantula spider as well as an African pygmy hedgehog called Lady Huffle Puff.

Gary McHolland-Pilcher, event leader at Animal Days Out who brought the creatures along, said: "Because the children are so young they have no preconceived worries and were able to handle and touch them without fear."

Animal Days Out is a not for profit company in Welling, providing interactive and fun animal encounters, events, activity days and assisted therapies.

Nikki Farrell, who organised the visit, said: "The girls loved every moment of it, although our leaders viewed the snakes and spiders with some trepidation."