The soaring temperatures have proven even too much for the meerkats at one Kent zoo.

The Fenn Bell Inn pub, which holds Medway’s first zoo licence, has been keeping its animals cool in the heatwave with ice-lollies and paddling pools.

Animals keeping cool at The Fenn Bell Inn pub zoo in Hoo

Owner Andy Cowell said: "The animals are not stupid they have mostly been keeping cool by lying down and sleeping in the shade.

"The heat is intense though, it is even too hot for the meerkats. They usually love the heat but even this is too hot for them."

The zoo has 16 meerkats, usually found in southern Africa. It also looks after squirrel monkeys, lemurs, raccoons, foxes and a variety of other exotic wildlife.

To keel cool, the lemurs and monkeys have been given frozen treats, while the coati has been taking a dip in a children's paddling pool filled with cold water. The foxes have enjoyed a block of frozen blood donated by Lazy Lobster Wholesale Foods.

Speaking on the hottest day on record on Tuesday, head keeper Connor Gordon said: "So much goes into being a zoo keeper. Not only is it an incredibly physical job but being a keeper means being a cleaner, photographer, public speaker, trainer, educator, chef, gardener, conservationist, health checker and all-around care giver, all whilst working in all weathers.

"Working in all weathers has never been more relevant for our keepers than it has been the last two days.

"It's a hot once again day today and just like us, the animals love to cool down with a dip and an ice lolly. Most of them have already had lots of lollies today but the second batches are just about ready so the keepers are doing yet another ice lolly round.

"Many animals are making use of additional pools and their water features and all sorts of other cooling enrichment provided to them by our dedicated keeper team."

"Our team will be working late into the evening, then back again for an early start tomorrow to ensure our animals are kept nice and cool."

The zoo doesn't usually open on Mondays and Tuesdays during term time so Andy said it was lucky for them that the really hot weather fell on these days, or they would have had to close.

He added: "We would have shut along with other zoos like Colchester."

Click here to find out more and to book tickets.

The zoo is open Wednesday to Saturday this week, and then every day from next week for the school holidays.