Because Peter is the manager of Sacrewell Farm, Thornhaugh, and although the farm is closed over the Christmas period, someone still has to feed the animals, and this year that person is him.

He said: "I'll drive the 10 miles to the farm from my home and get there at 8am, when I'll spend two hours feeding them all, and then I'll go back at 3.30pm to make sure they're fed and OK for the night."

But that's not as easy as it might sound.

Feature: Have a thought for those working at Christmas
Jemma Walton meets some of the people working over the Christmas period.
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While the rest of us are seeing what Santa was good enough to leave for us under the tree, Peter will be mucking out and feeding 11 shire horses, Vera the sow and her piglets, Suzy the donkey, Serenade the pony, Elsie the Shetland pony, 30 chickens, 10 geese, four turkeys, six ducks, six pygmy goats, three very rare Soay sheep, two calves and numerous rabbits and guinea pigs. Plus Jill the cat (her boyfriend Jack won't be there - he ran off earlier this year).

He said: "Most of the animals won't be a problem, but Serenade can be a bit highly strung sometimes. The pigs tend to be nice and quiet during the winter, they just bunk down in their shelters when it's cold.Their shelters are very dirty inside, but that's just the way they like it."

Peter will take any Christmas guests he has staying with him to feed the animals, plus his five-year-old son Nick. "He loves it," he said. "And I don't mind working over Christmas because it's a beautiful site, and it's nice to have it all to yourself once in a while."

Sacrewell Farm and Country Centre is open between 10am and 4pm every day, but is closed from Christmas Eve until January 2.