A FLEET of more than 50 hand painted pandas have been taking over Longleat as part of a new art trail opening this May bank holiday weekend.

The furry creatures will appear across the whole estate including the safari park.

Each panda sculpture has it's own unique design created by artists in China, and are inspired by English seasonal events and clothing traditions as well as the different artistic styles and elements of Chinese culture.

Visitors will be able to spot the pandas throughout their visit including inside the Monkey Drive-through, from the Longleat Railway, inside Animal Adventure, in the Sun Maze and within the formal gardens set against the backdrop of Longleat House.

Longleat is also enlisting the help of talented staff members along with a number of local artists to create their own panda designs which will also go on public display later this year.

The Pop up panda trail runs from May 5 to September 3 and additional art related activities and workshops are planned for the summer holidays. For more information please visit www.longleat.co.uk