A dad-of-four is bidding to open a ZOO in Salford.

Businessman Daniel Mortell runs his own successful recruitment firm but has made it his mission to raise £1m for an inner city zoo showcasing the best of British wildife.

Daniel, from Irlams O’Th’ Heights, wants to open a wildlife park featuring species native to the UK - like pine martens and wolves.

The entrepreneur believes the attraction is viable and is now trying to raise £1M through a Kickstarter campaign.

He says the idea came when he realised most people in the UK had seen a zebra - but hardly any were familiar with a pine marten, which is native to this country.

The idea, called UKopia, would be based somewhere in Salford and see animals like foxes and badgers in enclosures together.

Species which used to be native to the British Isles but have since died out here, like bears, wolves and lynx would also be included.

Daniel, who runs his own recruitment business but is also a keen wildlife photographer, says the enclosures would be large and filled with UK native foilage.

He has 25 days left to raise the first £1M necessary to start the project and is also working with developers Peel Holdings to find a possible site.

Daniel, who lives with his wife and four children, has also sought advice from Chester Zoo, since coming up with the UKopia idea three months ago.

He said: “I got the idea for a zoo when I was on a plane back to Manchester, thinking ‘why do tourists come here?’ - I honestly don’t think we do enough for visitors to this area.

“Greater Manchester is the only place apart from West Yorkshire with a population over a million but doesn’t have a wildlife park.

“I work full time to support my family so at the moment I’m a part-time zoo-building entrepreneur.

“But if I can get crowd-funding for it it can move along much quicker.

“Peoples’ reactions to the idea have been very good - at first they are thinking ‘A zoo? What?’

“But then when I explain it people realise there are no large visitor attractions in Greater Manchester.

“This is a long term project only at the beginning, and I wouldn’t expect to see any foundations for the next three years.

“But eventually I’d like to see the zoo breeding some of these species to be reintroduced around the UK.”

To donate to the zoo project, go to http://kck.st/1KRdvaR