A 16-year-old mischievous but friendly bull who was the "highlight" at a petting zoo has died.

Hamish, who was the first resident of Animal Quackers in Bacup, had lived on the farm for 15 years of his life before he died on Monday (March 8).

Owner of the petting zoo, Terry Bork said: "He wasn't looked upon like livestock - he was always a mate, a family member.

"I would speak to him like a mate, I would go in and stroke him and hug him like a mate.

"He never came across like an animal, he had his attitudes - if he wanted something he would talk to me from a distance and get his tongue out and start licking his nostrils."

The farm picked Hamish up 15 years ago, just as they were ready to open Animal Quackers.

They had responded to an advert for a young Highland bullock and when they arrived to pick him up, the owner let them have Hamish for free as long as he stayed with the family until the day he died.

When they picked him up, Hamish was on a TV set where he appeared along side Janet Street Porter in the F word.

Terry joked that during the tour he gave of the petting zoo, he would hold a piece of bread and tell people Hamish would jump over the fence to get it with many jumping back startled at this for Hamish to wait and lick his lips waiting for the bread, leading the groups to laugh.

He continued to recall memories with Hamish, calling him mischievous as within the first six months he destroyed over £1000 worth of fencing, destroyed washing lines, greenhouses and waste bins but we still loved him to bits.

Speaking on social media to announce Hamish's death, a spokesperson for the petting zoo said: "Rest easy our big ginger gentle giant you will be greatly missed!"