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A 'green' energy scheme is set to use dung from a rather unusual animal to power homes - GIRAFFES.

The bizarre measures have been announced in western France, where a zoo has teamed up with local cattle farmers to power 1,700 homes with by combining the African mammals' manure with waste from cows.

The Doué-la-Fontaine zoo in the Pays de la Loire region, near the city of Angers, has matched their four central African giraffes with the cattle of 35 farmers.

They've now launched their own business, called SAS Doué-Métha, to help make greener - and perhaps smellier- power, BFM TV reports.

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A specialist factory which is opening in 2017 will use the manure from all of the animals to produce methane.

The methane is then to be put directly into gas lines in the region.

It's hoped that the measures will create enough power to heat 1,700 households in the area out of a possible 111,000.