A railway has employed DONKEYS to maintain a seven-mile stretch of track by eating plants not being squashed by trains and passengers writes Sophie Donovan.
Most of the staff at Talyllyn Railway in Snowdonia are no longer on site amid lockdown.
It is the first time the world's first preserved heritage railway has not run trains since 1951.
Nature was threatening to take over the line - with plants which would usually be trampled down by trains and visitors growing tall.
But the owners didn't want it to look like a disused line for safety reasons, so they called in two new helpers - donkeys called Hamish and Lady Maude.
The pair from a local farm are munching undergrowth and bluebells on a seven-mile stretch around Rhydyonen station.
A Talyllyn Railway spokesperson said: "The line's closure may be bad news for the team running the world's first preserved railway, but Hamish and Lady Maude are enjoying the absence of the trains to fill their bellies.
Talyllyn Railway general manager Stuart Williams added: "Usually a combination of regular steam trains and our army of outdoor volunteers who strim, flail and tend to the lineside keep the vegetation under control.
"Without these people in place, the lineside is reversing quickly to nature and becoming akin to a closed railway.
"We were pleased to be asked about the possibility of allowing a couple of local donkeys to graze the lineside at Rhydyronen, so Hamish and Lady Maude moved in and have been given their own part of the railway to maintain."
READ MORE: Penryn donkey sanctuary director raises more than £5,000 with Lockdown marathon
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here