The owner of a highly-popular mobile zoo in Suffolk has put the business with its animals up for sale as she plans to move to Australia.

Kimberley Brown, who has owned Great Blackenham-based Kimmy’s Mobile Zoo for 12 years, is selling the venture for £49,995 and wants to hand over the business to new owners in September this year.

The limited company, near Ipswich, is said to have a huge repeat customer client base including care homes, schools, nurseries and parties.

Kimberley said in her social media post: “Sadly after 12 amazing years I have decided to sell the zoo, even with our smaller menagerie of animals, business is still booming, but I have decided to do my PGCE (postgraduate certificate in education) in September and hopefully immigrate in 2024, so its time for the zoo to start a new journey.

“If you have a booking please do not worry, I will be working until September 3, after this date the business will either be handed to a new owner, or still be up for sale.

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“Therefore, we will not be booking for after September 3, unless we find a secure buyer before this date and they cover your area, The Facebook page will be updated with any news we have on this.”

The post also said the business does about 250 bookings a year, working within a one-hour radius of Ipswich and has a turnover of £55,000 to £65,000, but could be moved anywhere as it has such a good reputation.

Animals currently with the zoo include rabbits, a lesser tenrec (a Madagascan hedgehog relation), a chinchilla, guinea pigs, sugar gliders, a tree frog, a bearded dragons, a leopard gecko, praying and leaf mantises, giant land snails and three-foot royal pythons called Shere Khan and Monty.

On the sale, Kimberley told Suffolk News: “I am actually devastated about it but we want to move so either way it has to close or be sold sadly.

“I love teaching children about the animals so that’s why I am doing primary teaching. I am hoping to volunteer in a zoo every other week in Australia to get my animal fix.”

For more details or those interested in the business, go to the Hilton Smythe business advisors website.