Marine zoo expansion set to start

Living Coasts has received a grant of £800,000

A wildlife conservation complex in Devon is to be transformed into a tropical marine underworld in an £800,000 expansion.

The Living Coasts marine aviary in Torquay will eventually be home to a mangrove swamp with dinosaur crabs, poisonous stingrays and swamp fish.

The outdoor area will retain its penguins, wading birds and fur seals.

Living Coasts has received a grant of £800,000 from the South West RDA Agency to support the work.

The first area to open will be a new Discovery Zone in March .

Elaine Lambert, of Living Coasts, said: "We wanted to make the site more interactive so that our visitors can spend longer exploring, playing and discovering new things."