UNLOVED house plants in West Somerset are being put to good use making snakes and reptiles from across the world feel more at home.

Tropiquaria Zoo, in Washford Cross, near Watchet, has appealed for people to deliver or make available for collection any plants they no longer want.

Zoo director Chris Moiser has been putting the pot plants to use by rehoming them in the animal park’s reptile house.

Mr Moiser said: “We are in the process of revamping some of the enclosures for our scaly, cold-blooded friends, and we would love to give any unwanted house plants a new lease of life alongside them.

“If you have plants that are outgrowing the house or just want rid, we would love to take them and see where we can give them a home alongside the snakes, lizards, and birds of the reptile hall.

“Nothing will be too big or too small, so let us know.”

Some sections of the skylight have also been replaced in recent days in the Tropiquaria reptile hall, where creature handling sessions are held for visitors.

Mr Moiser said: “The skylight is a huge centre feature of the hall, and with some of its original parts nearing 100 years old, it is time for an upgrade.”

The reptile hall, which has free roaming birds and geckos, also houses a number of fish ponds where visitors can see some of the rarest fish in the world being bred by Tropiquaria.

They include the world’s last shoal of a variety of the livebearing Mexican Goodeid fish, which are now extinct in the wild.

The reptile hall was converted from a former BBC Radio transmitter hall which operated from 1933 to the late 1970s when the transmitting station was re-engineered for unattended operation and the building was no longer needed.