Disgruntled Portia the Pig wears factor 25 to prevent crackling! Portia the Pig, featured recently on ITV1's hit programme "Talking to Animals", needs lots of suntan lotion to protect her skin from the bright sunshine at her home at HorseWorld, in Whitchurch, Bristol. Portia is a pot-bellied pig, and came to HorseWorld in 2000 when she was rescued from a third-floor flat. She is very grumpy, and does not like being handled, but must have suntan lotion applied several times a day to protect her sensitive skin. Lorna Brown, Portia's Groom, said: "Portia is a real character, and used to hate having her suntan lotion applied. She's just like a big kid really! We asked Sarah Fisher, from Talking to Animals, to help us with Portia, and it's really worked. We can get close enough now to put Portia's suntan lotion on without being squealed at too much or charged!"

Portia lives at HorseWorld's Visitor Centre in Whitchurch, where she loves sunbathing. Being around visitors helps Portia to overcome her distrust of people, and she particularly enjoys the odd treat of apples and carrots.

Sarah Fisher, of Talking to Animals said: "It is always rewarding helping animals overcome a fear of being handled and Lorna Brown is a dedicated groom who has a natural talent for working with animals that lack trust and confidence. Portia will have a permanent loving home at HorseWorld and has proved to be a star in every sense of the word!

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