Animals at Basildon Zoo could be boarded up away from the public's gaze until they are found new homes, bosses have admitted.

The business, run by the Surcouf family in London Road, Vange, will lose its zoo status from November 12, after declining to reapply for a licence. From the day after it will be illegal to show the zoo's lion, leopards and lynx collection.

Owner Yolande Surcouf said she was investigating possible new homes for the animals, including zoos and wildlife centres, but could not be certain of doing so by the cut-off date.

She said: "If I haven't got them out by November 12 then I have to board them up so the public can't see them.

"I wouldn't like to do that, and I hope to sort things out before all that happens."

She said that if the zoo had trouble moving on the big cats it could always reapply for a licence. Plans for the site include transforming into a wildlife sanctuary for domestic animals or rare breeds.

A spokesman for Basildon Council said: "Under the terms of the licence they have to stop displaying the animals to the public, not remove them from the site completely."

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