To give Steve some leafletting space I took the kids to Chester Zoo today. We had an excellent time, even though it was heaving.For safety’s sake I got id wristbands for the kids, which you just put your mobile number on, and it was just as well I did since I (apparently) went AWOL while Lily was playing on the ark – turns out I was sitting on the wrong bench & effectively hiding from her. The bats were on good form, monkeys largely absent, Lions outside (for once), penguins & seals also smokin’. Lily;’s favourite bit was the ark.

I was mainly impressed by Joel walking for *miles* and only having to be carried a little bit, and no accidents, in spite of a wee-wee emergency outside the bats which meant we had to rush past the lions.

We got back each of us knackered, with 2 large balloons – a yellow lion and a blue dolphin – including weight, almost worth the fiver each they cost…