A man has won his battle to keep his pet lions at home.
Reece Oliver, 28, upset his neighbours after he built an enclosure on his land for rescued African lion cubs Rocky and Rora and his puma Rogue.
The council received 14 objections, with residents in Strelley, Nottinghamshire, worried about noise and the safety of their pets.
Mr Oliver argued the big cats, which he saved from a circus in Czech Republic in February, could be put down if they were not allowed to stay because no-one else would take care of them.
This argument convinced the Broxtowe Borough Council planning committee, which has granted him permission for the amendments he made to his property despite planners recommending they reject his request.
He won the decision by seven votes to five yesterday night.
Mr Oliver told Nottingham Live: ‘It’s the best feeling in the world, it’s the best result ever.
‘It’s aged me though. These last few weeks have been extremely stressful, but I know those animals would have had to have been put down.’
Mr Oliver, who is licenced to keep wild animals, previously said he didn’t realise he needed to apply to the council for planning permission.
He added he has no intention of allowing members of the public access to the enclosure and stressed his request represented ‘very special circumstances’.
Mr Oliver said: ‘They are like my own kids.
‘I’ve had them since they were babies and I have brought them up. I wouldn’t want to give them up for the world.
‘It’s more than likely they will be put down if it’s turned down. It would be devastating.’
The animals have been housed in a he 380sqm and 3.84m high encased mesh enclosure since February.
Documents from the planning meeting said the encased enclosure was ‘larger than most zoos’ and gave the cats great freedom.
