Brown bear Diego rescued from Sweden moves into Jimmy Doherty's farm in Suffolk

Natalie Gray went to meet Diego in Suffolk

A brown bear who was rescued from being put down - thanks to huge public support and the efforts of Jimmy Doherty - and has moved into his 'forever home' at a wildlife park.

Diego, the 12-year-old brown bear, was destined to be put to sleep after a zoo in Sweden was sold to developers.

Jimmy's Farm, along with its charity Space for Wild, fundraised to bring Diego to the UK and were "overwhelmed" by support from the public.

£60,000 was raised to bring the bear from Orsa predator park in Sweden to Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park in Wherstead, near Ipswich.

Diego was the last bear at the disbanded Swedish zoo.

Jimmy Doherty, founder of Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife park, said: "I couldn’t sit there and do nothing, knowing that Diego was going to be put to sleep. It just wasn’t right.

"I am over the moon that he is safely here, at his forever home, and incredibly proud of all my team and the public who helped us get here by donating to Diego’s cause. This is a marvellous achievement – to save the life of a remarkable bear."

Diego will have two acres of paddock to explore at the wildlife park, which is home to more than 100 different species.

Diego is the second bear rescued by the wildlife park after Ewa the polar bear arrived in Suffolk in October.

Jimmy said: "Obviously we have built Europe’s largest polar bear reserve and we’re an important component in the conservation programme so I imagine other individuals will be joining us and Diego is a fantastic example of a Northern European brown bear - he’s a handsome chap so I think he’ll probably have some girlfriends pretty soon.”

Stevie Sheppard, Park Director at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park said seeing Diego arrive was the "highlight" of his career.

"From watching the heart wrenching tears on those that cared for Diego in Sweden – at the thought of losing him forever - to him now being here at his forever home, I can’t explain the joy," he said.

The public are welcomed to go and see Diego from 28 March.

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