YOUNGSTERS took a walk on the wild side at The Story Museum, Oxford, as it launched its new Animal exhibition.

The interactive trail explores why there are so many children's stories about animals and what they tell us about ourselves and the natural world.

This weekend children explored snow forests and jungle clearings, city streets and sunlit meadows in search of fictional animals.

Five-year-old James Fraser from Abingdon played a game with cans in a rubbish dump inspired by Terry Pratchett novel The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents.

He said: "I really enjoyed it and I also really enjoyed the musician."

Mum Astrid, a librarian, said: "We have been to the Story Museum a few times and really enjoyed it.

"James enjoyed the whole exhibition, the was something for all ages, it was really good.

"He put cans into the holes of the rubbish dump and they would shoot out elsewhere.

"He is only five so he has just started out with his reading and he loves having stories read to him."