Alpacas dine out on donated Christmas trees in late festive feast

• Video report by ITV News journalist Ian Lang

A man from Flintshire has been inundated with discarded Christmas trees after he posted on social media asking for donations to feed his herd of alpacas.

Nathan Mills from Hope, Flintshire has a herd of seven alpacas called Pedro, Marco, DJ, Bembo, Hector, Bill and Ted.

They usually eat a diet of pellets and hay but last year Nathan discovered they go "mad" for the pines off of the Christmas trees.

They then use the trunk as a convenient scratching post.

Nathan bought his first alpaca two years ago but his herd has gradually grown.

He explained: "I was researching and looking at what they can eat and someone said about Christmas trees.

"I tried it last year and they go a little bit mad for them."

Once the alpacas are done with the festive feast, Nathan uses the trees as a fence to keep the animals away from the river.

Nathan was given 25 Christmas trees in just a few days and has had to turn others away.

People have been more than happy to see their unwanted trees put to good use.

"They eat the pines off the tree - skin it bare - and they basically use it like a scratching post.

"Everyone's got a soft spot for animals, especially an alpaca, so that's why it's been such a success for us."