A STATE-of-the-art medical centre is set to be built - for the animals at Colchester Zoo.

Plans are in the pipeline for a new centre which would provide better health care and emergency facilities for the hundreds of animals at the award-winning zoo.

The current centre was introduced in the early 1980s and has expanded over the years to create a workable space.

But as the zoo has grown, more sophisticated medical facilities are needed.

Now it is hoped work will start on the new medical centre towards the end of the year.

It will be sited near the current one at the entrance to the zoo but will have a floor space of about 270 sq metres and the latest equipment.

The cost of the building is expected to be about £120,000 with another £120,000 needed to pay for equipment.

For more on this story, see this week's Essex County Standard.