FYLDE animal rights protesters have hit back at claims by bosses at Blackpool Zoo that their Easter Monday protest was a flop.

More than thirty demonstrators, aged 14 to 70, turned up to hand out leaflets calling for an end to the captivity of wild animals during the event on Monday, April 11.

A zoo spokesman said: "Just a handful of regular protesters turned up at mid-day.

"They were very courteous, unlike previous years, however they failed to deter our visitors and no-one turned away.

"We did get some complaints regarding some protesters walking out in front of cars at the

bottom of the drive that was considered dangerous.

"But all in all it was a very low-key affair.

"We found quite a lot of discarded CAPS anti zoo leaflets in the bin at the entrance that were thrown away by our visitors and these will be re-cycled."

The East Park Drive zoo was targeted by members of the Blackpool Animal Rights Coalition as part of a National Zoo Awareness event organised by the UK Captive Animal's Protection Society (CAPS).

Blackpool Animal Rights spokeswoman, Mary Gavins said: "The zoo can claim that people are not interested in anything we have to say.

"We already know that there are many people out there who only care about which holiday they're going on this summer or what they are going to have for tea.

"But there are also many people who know how unnatural and prison-like zoos are for animals.

"The whole concept of a zoo is Victorian and nowadays most people are enlightened enough to avoid such spectacles.

"Our protest was peaceful and, as far as we are concerned, very successful."