TWO hungry goats are eager to recycle your leftover Christmas trees.

Marmite and Biscuit, a pair of three-year-old goats who live near Wellington, are hard at work eating local resident's discarded evergreens.

The goats are the pets of Anna-Lisa De'Ath, a freelance editor and journalist who teaches craft workshops from her Stawley smallholding.

Ms De'Ath is rendering the services of her pet goats to neighbours who are looking to dispose of their Christmas trees - and in return Marmite and Biscuit enjoy essential vitamins gleaned from the tree's bark and leaves.

Commenting Ms De'Ath said: "Marmite and Biscuit are an absolute joy, as they are so entertaining and they are real characters. They are very affectionate, occasionally naughty (as goats tend to be) and they really like people and enjoy being cuddled and stroked.

"They absolutely love eating Christmas trees, as long as they have not been sprayed with any harmful chemicals because the trees contain essential vitamins for the goats at a time when there is little foliage around.

"They eat all the needles from the branches first, but the bit they love the most is the bark, which they strip off to leave just the bare tree skeleton. It's a great way to recycle old Christmas trees at this time of year and it keeps the goats amused for hours. People love to come and meet the goaties when they drop off their trees and the goats love all the fuss!"

Also resident on Ms De'Ath's smallholding is a herd of alpacas, who provide wool for needle felting classes offered by her craft course business, The Crafty Country Fox. Ms De'Ath explained: "As well as being a journalist, I also run craft courses, under the name The Crafty Country Fox, inspired by nature and the changing seasons with a focus on sustainability, from the studio on my smallholding.

"I teach a wide range of workshops, including needlefelting - where you can needlefelt a mini alpaca using the wool from my own alpaca herd and get to meet them too!- creative mending and embellished textiles, jewellery-making, embroidery and lino printing, to list but a few."

To contact Ms De'Ath about having her goats eat your Christmas tree, or to inquire about The Crafty County fox, she can be reached by email at mailto:[email protected].