FOUR orang-utans at Dudley Zoo are settling into their new refurbished home following a £75,000 legacy donation from two long-term supporters.

The project, which has seen the internal section of the zoo's orang-utan house transformed, took eight months to complete, with five dens – three of them private, plus two public viewing areas, created with the funds.

The project, which totalled £80,000 was paid for by the £75k donation in the will of late husband and wife, Margaret and Alan Leafe from Sheffield, who had been long-time supporters of the Castle Hill zoo and had adopted many of its animals.

The remaining £5,000 was funded from the Zoo's Development Trust.

Zoo chief executive,Peter Suddock, said: "We needed to replace the roof of the house as it was in a poor state so took the opportunity to make the internal quarters much larger and also provided more enrichment for the orangs.

"The work was part of a programme to improve accommodation for the orangutans and we hope to modify the outdoor areas in the near future."

Contractors were brought on site for bricklaying, roofing and rendering, but most of the work, including new enrichment projects, was all done by the keepers, led by senior curator Derek Grove.

Mr Suddock added: "It was a true sur prise to receive the letter telling us of the legacy and we feel it is an honour to have been remembered by Alan and Margaret in their will.”

“We decided to use the money to refurbish the orang-utan house as a fitting tribute to such a bighearted couple.”