Christmas came early for animals at Bristol Zoo Gardens when Santa stopped by with festive stockings filled with treats.

A baby lemur was one of the well-behaved animals given the tasty gifts to mark the start of the zoo's Christmas programme.

With his reindeer not due to arrive until later in the month, Father Christmas travelled around the zoo by a tinsel-covered train delivering presents for the red panda and the squirrel monkeys.

He also took time out on his rounds to wish Trevor, the eight-month-old lemur, his first season's greetings.

The red-ruffed lemur is native to sultry Madagascar but is coping well with the demands of the English winter, staff said.

Zoo press officer Lucy Parkinson said: "Santa was here to kick off our Christmas season and had a bag full of food for the animals. Inside there was bamboo, fruit and grapes. Squirrel monkeys especially love eating fleshy fruit.

"Trevor, the lemur, has been hand-reared and lives in a warm hut so he can come and go as he pleases. He is very happy to be handled and very tame."

Junji, the red panda, was roused from his napping by the early arrival of Father Christmas and scrambled through the trees to forage for the treats, much to the amusement of passing zoo visitors.

It was then a quick train ride along to the squirrel monkeys on Lake Island, who couldn't wait to get their paws on the juicy snacks.

Zoo keeper Pete Gardiner explained why the stockings were more than just decoration. He said: "We call it enrichment, it is fun for them to have to go foraging for their food so we often set up boxes and other things, like the stockings, to make them work for their treats."

From today, zoo visitors will also be able to see Santa in his Grotto or take a ride on the Christmas train.

And later this month, two special guests will be flying in to add to the festive atmosphere. A reindeer enclosure has been built to house Jingle and Belle who will be arriving on Sunday December 21.

Bristol Zoo's head of marketing, Heather Holve, said: "Reindeer are a traditional part of Christmas and have never before been seen at Bristol Zoo so we are really looking forward to welcoming them for the festive period. We are nearly ready for their arrival and we are looking forward to an extra special Christmas."

Santa's Grotto will be open on the weekends of November 29 and 30, December 6 and7 and December 13 and 14. It will then open every day from December 19 to 23.

The cost is £3.80 per child (price does not include zoo admission) and each child will receive a personalised gift.

The Christmas Train will be running every day from Saturday, November 29 to Sunday, January 4. The fare is £1 per passenger.