AN RSPCA inspector is to live out his dream of working with wild animals during a month-long stay in Africa.

Garry Palmer has worked with creatures of all shapes and sizes in his job as an inspector in the North-East.

But his love of animals has taken him on a greater adventure across the water to the game reserve of Shamuari, in Africa.

He said: "I found out about this place through the Internet. They usually only take people on six months placement, but I spoke to the people who run it and they said I could just go for the month.

"I have saved up all of my holidays for the year so I could go."

While there, Garry, who lives in Eaglescliffe, near Stockton, Teesside, will work with lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, rhinos, buffalo and giraffes.

He said: "This is a dream of a life time for me. I want to see these animals for myself before some of them do become extinct. Just to get up close and see the size of these animals first hand - I have read about it and seen it on the television."

One of the highlights of the trip will be tracking lions and watching how they live in the wild.

But despite living the dream for a month Garry said he would never give up his job as an RSPCA inspector.

He said: "I love animals. I was one of those kids who was always rescuing birds and keeping them in my bedroom. I was never without a dog wherever I went.

"I have the best job in the world. I absolutely love it."