STUART ERSKINE, Steven Scott and Keith Robison play the wild card every day when they wake up - for the intrepid trio venture to Knowsley Safari Park to clock on for work every morning.

Stuart and Keith have a roarin' time keeping the lions in check, whilst Steven has a jumbo job looking after the park's eight African elephants.

Stuart, 26, from Thatto Heath, and Keith, 28, from Grange Park, who have 12 years service with the popular attraction behind them, enjoy looking after the park's 20 lions.

Although they don't have any physical contact with the lions the duo have learned about each of the individual big cats through daily observation. Each lion and lioness has its own distinct personality and the boys have given the big cat's nicknames which they believe suits each individual character.

But they both agree that their favourite characters from the pride are four-year-old Simba, two-year-old Sly (who lives up to his name) and Lucy, who they reckon is the tamest of the bunch.

On a visit to the Safari Park, which has seen record attendances this year, I was able to watch Stuart and Keith feed the lions. The atmosphere was awesome. A wooden lionhouse containing 20 roaring lions really is something to behold. And with just iron mesh fencing and wood between you its possible to get within inches of these kings of the jungle and watch them at close range while they feed. Each lion is fed either two calves' heads, or one pig's head, and these are literally stripped to the bone. And after watching the lions at close range, I can assure visitors to the park who believe that the animals are docile because all they seem to do is laze in the sun, that this isn't the case.

The wardens only ever have contact with the lions if there is a reason such as illness, or when they are first born (the cubs must have innoculations at eight and 12 weeks). Both Stuart and Keith enjoy working outdoors with the animals and say they could never settle down in a nine-to-five office job.

Steven Scott, 26, of Thatto Heath, has worked at the Safari Park for the last 11 years and in that time he has looked after the lions, monkeys and rhinos. At the moment he has the mammoth task of looking after the eight African elephants (seven females and one young bull).

It's a far cry from his first job as a painter and decorator and despite some obvious drawbacks in the elephant house, Steven said he wouldn't even consider another career because he loves working with the animals so much.

He admits: "My job entails mucking out the elephant house and taking care of the elephants in general and by the end of the day I must admit that I probably don't smell too sweet.

"I'm used to the smell but as soon as I get home I have to get a shower because my girlfriend Lyndsey can smell the elephants straight away."

He adds: "I've worked with a number of different animals at the Safari Park over the years and at first the animals are wary of you and you're wary of them.

"But eventually they get used to you and tolerate you. Sometimes it is easy to get over confident, but the animals soon put you in your place."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.