A FROME care home was taken over by animals for a special event.

To mark World Animal Day, residents at Catherine House Care Home welcomed some special guests from Twinnies Petting Farm – including alpacas, guinea pigs, a pony and a rabbit.

The stars of the day were alpacas Nico, 14, and two-year-old Storm, who stole the hearts of everyone in the home.

Dinky, a 16-year-old miniature Shetland pony, Bluebelle the rabbit, and a pair of adorable 12-week-old guinea pigs brought smiles to the faces of staff and residents.

The interaction with Bluebelle led to a very special moment for resident Jean as she got to hold a rabbit for the very first time.

A pony and alpacas were among the visitors to Catherine House in Frome

“We enjoyed our visit to Catherine House, the residents who are fondly referred to as family members were very relaxed around the animals and enjoyed the interaction with them,” a Twinnies spokesperson said.

“We loved seeing their smiles and hearing their stories about their past experiences with animals.”

Dinky the miniature Shetland pony provided a familiar comfort for family members like Elizabeth, whose father worked for the Beaufort Estate in Badminton, so she grew up around horses and has worked with them all her adult life.

During the visit, Dinky made a special trip indoors to see family members like Colin and Robert, who preferred to stay inside, bringing plenty of laughter as a pony wandered through the home.