CATS and dogs are enjoying holidays only yards from each other after neighbours came up with separate, but complementary, business ideas.

When Kristeen Alderson applied for permission to set up a cattery at her home in Swaledale, North Yorkshire, she was unaware neighbour Janet Sunter was planning to open a boarding kennels on her side of the fence.

But now, instead of fighting like cat and dog, the two businesses run happily side-by-side at Grinton, near Reeth, and even help market each other's firms.

Mrs Alderson said: "I applied to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority about having a cattery and, while things were starting to get under way, Janet bought the property next door.

"Then a mutual friend said she was going to open a kennels and we got together for a chat. We have both just got up and running -with a very secure fence between the properties."

Pets at the Greenways cattery, which has five cages, and the Croft Farm kennels, which won a £1,500 business grant from Richmondshire District Council, are far enough apart for the dogs' barking not to alarm the cats.

Mrs Alderson said: "The facilities are well separated, so there is no noise to disturb cats which are not used to dogs. Having the two businesses side-by-side makes it much easier for people who have both cats and dogs.

"I love cats, and Janet is more of a dog person, so we complement each other perfectly."

Mrs Sunter, who moved to Croft Farm from Reeth, realised a childhood dream when she opened the kennels, and plans to use her council grant to market the business and set up a website. She created 19 kennels on the site of a former pig shed.

She said: "When we saw the farm for sale, I knew that this could be an ideal spot to finally open the kennels I had been dreaming of ever since I was a little girl.

"We have already had several dogs making a return visit. We seem to have found a gap in the market in this area.