A FREQUENT pianist on the stage of Ross-on-Wye’s Phoenix Theatre opened his doors to the company for them to visit the Pen-y-Bryn Animal Sanctuary, which is generally not open to the public.

Peter Gill, a local piano legend, runs the animal sanctuary with his partner Kelly, gave representatives from the Phoenix Theatre another side to him, who has become a knowledgeable and compassionate animal lover.

The couple have given over their four acres to provide a safe haven to a variety of animals who come to them through ill-treatment, difficult circumstances or abandonment, and for whom Pen y Bryn is to be their final home.

The site has commanding views across the countryside with aviaries, pens and enclosures providing a jigsaw of bespoke residences for the sanctuary’s occupants.

Peter told his theatrical visitors that Pen-y-Bryn had started by accident and has now virtually become a full-time occupation and revealed that he had a story to tell about every single animal in their care.

The visitors were guided by Peter to see flightless Snowy owls living quietly, turkeys resting whilst their plumage recovered from the ravages of illness and bantams tucked up securely in the company of the grey squirrel ‘Peanut’– who after breaking-in, and not being indigenous, must stay enclosed forever.

In addition to Peter’s entertaining guidance, they were escorted by around the grounds by Cecil, a Boreray Scottish blackface sheep, who is as tame as any dog and was keen to introduce the visitors to the fellow mammals at the sanctuary.

They heard the story of two hefty black pigs, Merlin and Midnight, who were described as micro pigs before Peter took delivery of them, only to discover upon opening the truck that they were definitely not macro and were immovable.

Several pygmy goats added to the four-legged quotient of the sanctuary and were left largely alone in their own carefully curated pen.

And then the company meet Lana – a Hereford heifer who was born without eyes or a tail due to a pre-natal infection.

At Pen-y-Bryn, she has found solace and care; but this comes with problems as the couple have to spray her continually during the warmer months to deter flies, an exercise which would usually happen with the swishing of a cow’s tail.

The animal varieties kept coming – ferrets, peacocks, tortoises, sheep, guinea pigs, rabbits, ponies and ducks, all with their own story of how they came to be at the sanctuary but are now thriving under Peter and Kelly’s guardianship.

At present the sanctuary is a private concern, relying on donations and the couple’s own income but it is hoped that Pen y Bryn may become a registered charity soon, in order to secure its future.

A spokesperson for Phoenix Theatre said: “The dedication Peter and Kelly have for their animal’s welfare is obvious – he is one step away from being Dr Doolittle.

“And maybe that’s an idea for another evening of entertainment at the Phoenix Theatre in the future.”