LIZARD lovers should slither down to a reptile weekend at a pet superstore next weekend.

Pets at Home, on the Hylton Riverside Retail Park, in Sunderland, will have a variety provided by the UK's leading reptile sanctuary Proteus.

For Sarah Beales and Neill Swann, who run Proteus, the event offers the chance to promote sensible reptile ownership.

Pets at Home wants reptile events at their stores throughout the country in response to the ever-growing trend for cold-blooded companions.

The reptile roadshow hits the Sunderland branch between 11am and 4pm next Saturday and Sunday.

Sarah said: "Reptiles are now the fastest growing sector of the pet industry in the UK, but unfortunately people's knowledge about reptiles - and what is involved in keeping them as pets - is fairly limited.