HITESH Patel left the Deane School with an addiction -- to the famous farm within the school grounds.

Now aged 17, he has a busy full-time job with the animals there -- and to get his "fix" he is at the site at 6am every morning.

"I couldn't have wished for a better job," said Hitesh, who lives in Deane, just 15 minutes from the farm. "I've always wanted to work with animals."

His dream employment as a farm technician stems from helping out at the farm for six years and thoroughly enjoying the work with the chickens, goats, pigs -- and, as pictured, the donkeys.

Said Hitesh: "I have got to know the animals very well.

"Duke, the St Bernard, is my favourite -- I walk him every day.

"In the mornings, I mainly feed the animals and the other 95 per cent of my time is spent cleaning out.

"Eventually, I would like to work on a farm. We never had any animals at home, because my parents didn't like them, so I've got my love of animals from here."