THIRTY years old is not exactly over the hill, but for Coleg Gwent’s Erica the Iguana her age could be a world record.

In captivity Iguanas usually only live to be 20-years-old, but Erica who lives at the college’s animal care centre based at their Usk campus has notched up another decade on top of that.

Animal care centre manager, Tina Smith said: “Erica was found in the snow in the Torfaen area and was picked up by an RSPCA Inspector who brought her to the college in 1990.

“He brought her here as we had the right enclosure for her and she was approximately four to five-years-old then.

“I was the first paid animal care technician here and I was the person who dealt with the RSPCA Inspector.”

Staff and students look after Erica along with over 20 different species which include snakes, spiders, ducks, chickens, rabbits, gerbils, cats and a rescue donkey.

The dedication of staff and students is also shown in the running of a Blue Cross Cat Rehoming Centre at Usk which was opened over two years ago.

Tina said: “Working in partnership with the animal charity Blue Cross, the centre has re-homed over 90 cats and kittens.

“This is a great place to be as it’s unusual to be working with cats one minute and an Iguana the next, especially one as old as Erica.

“We would be interested to know if there are any Iguanas as old as her but whether she gets a place in the record books or not, she is special to us.”