PASSENGERS travelling along a North Yorkshire heritage railway this bank holiday weekend can get up close with a variety of animals at one of the stations along the line.

North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR), which runs from Pickering to Whitby, says visitors can experience the Levisham Animal Roadshow at Levisham Station on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

They will have the opportunity to see animals such as donkeys, alpacas, pygmy goats and guinea pigs, as well as learn more about them and how they are cared for.

Laura Strangeway, head of marketing at NYMR, said: "We wanted to do something that would be a nice activity for families and animal lovers whilst complimenting the railway’s nature surroundings. Levisham is the ideal location to take in the stunning scenery of the North York Moors National Park – it’s a great for spotting wildlife as well an enjoying a relaxing country walk."

Visitors during the weekend will also still be able to enjoy the thrill of travelling aboard a steam or heritage diesel train, with up to eight services running frequently each day. All day return tickets purchased operate on a ‘hop on, hop off’ basis which allows the opportunity to explore multiple stations along the line.

Entry to The Levisham Animal Roadshow is free with a valid travel ticket and will be open in the Levisham Station paddock on Saturday, Sunday and Monday between 10am and 3pm each day.

For more information or to pre-book tickets visit nymr.co.uk/levisham-animal-roadshow