A REINDEER who loved his own company has discovered that three is a crowd after two females moved into his stable and started laying the law down.

Forest had happily been a bachelor for years at Kirkleatham Owl Centre but his peace and tranquility has been disturbed by the arrival of the pair from Twycross Zoo.

After years of solitary living, the seven-year-old is now struggling to choose between the two differing animals - bashful ''Blizzard'' a slightly older lady, who loves a cosy stable, and ''Venus''-a larger lady, who doesn't take nonsense off no-one.

Centre manager Craig Wesson said: “They follow him about and rarely leave his side but Forest isn't exactly living up to his role of head of the herd.

“As the only bull he should be in charge and dominant to the females but there is only one leader of this herd – Venus.

''Forest tried to show how tough he was when the girls first arrived but Venus soon showed him what she thought of that.

“When they are pinching his food bucket & his sleeping spot in the stable, you get the feeling Forest quite liked being a bachelor.”

The reindeers will be on show during Kirkleatham's Victorian Christmas, which takes place this Saturday and Sunday (December 7 and 8) from 10.30am, with Santa's Grotto, craft fair, nativity stable and crafts for children.

For more information call 01642-480512.