STUDENTS at a West Devon college have been finding out what it takes to work with animals in a unique careers' fair.

The careers' fair, held at Tavistock College, gave students the chance to meet and talk to people who work with animals.

Organiser of the fair, Helen Harris, said the idea came from the college's horse and pony care course, a short course teaching students, many of them with special educational needs, how to care for horses.

Mrs Harris said: 'A little pony, Fleur, only nine hands high, comes into the college every week and small groups of selected students meet her and learn about caring for her.

'One year 9 student was telling me as he groomed Fleur, how he wanted to be a farrier.

'He was really good with the pony but when I asked him how his maths was, he said it wouldn't matter.

'Unfortunately it does as a certain level of competence is required by farriery college.

'The idea of holding a careers' fair where students interested in working with animals could meet the professionals in a wide range of fields, finding out what qualifications they needed and what a typical day was like, was born.'

At first, only a few equine related careers were to be represented at the fair, but more fields suggested themselves.

There were around 15 different careers represented overall at the fair, many of them former students, along with local colleges offering courses in relevant subjects, so organisers decided to open the fair to interested students from years 8 to 12.

Farming, fisheries management, veterinary work, game keeping, animal physiotherapy, equine dentistry, farriery, riding instructing and eventing, animal grooming, working in a zoo and falconry were some of the careers represented at the fair, and presenters brought along a number of animals to demonstrate their work.

Mrs Harris said: 'All the representatives were able to reinforce the message that hard work will pay off and that English and maths are vital to most careers.

'The fair really worked in connecting the college curriculum to the real world; it allowed local businesses to demonstrate their skills and encouraged motivation for students who asked lots of excellent questions about how they might persue a career in animal care.'