Visitors at Banham Zoo will be able to get up close with some of the attraction's most friendly and inquisitive residents.

The zoo has opened a new enclosure, called Lemur Encounters, which allows people to walk among the site's five red ruffed and eight ring-tailed lemurs.

First inside were children's television presenters Steve Backshall and Naomi Wilkinson who filmed the grand opening on Saturday for their programme Live 'n' Deadly.

Mike Woolham, zoo animal manager, said: 'We are absolutely delighted with the new enclosure and the animals are having wonderful time exploring.

'We are sure visitors will love being in such close proximity to the lemurs and having Steve and Naomi here on the opening day was just the icing on the cake.'

The new attraction, which cost about �45,000, is the culmination of more than a year's planning, design and construction.

During the last few weeks, the lemurs had spent time acclimatising to their new home, which boasts ropes, platforms and large mature trees.