Ellen DeGeneres has said she will be travelling to North Wales after the coronavirus crisis to see the goats that have been strolling the streets during the nationwide lockdown.
The mountain goats in Llandudno have been such a social media sensation since they hit the headlines that police have warned the public not to travel to the seaside town to see the animals.
They gained international attention when local resident and reporter Andrew Stuart captured the moment they took advantage of the empty roads.
This is the first place I’m visiting after this. https://t.co/u7iVulXw63
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 2, 2020
US chat show host DeGeneres, who is a well-known animal lover, shared the footage on Twitter and wrote: “This is the first place I’m visiting after this.”
Mr Stuart, who works for the Manchester Evening News, said he called the police after he noticed the animals breaking isolation rules by gathering in a large group and not keeping the required two metres apart last week.
But the animals returned over the weekend, and were still destroying garden bushes, eating leaves in Trinity Square in the town centre, and sleeping in a churchyard on Monday.
Posting on its Facebook page, North Wales Police said: “It’s great to see the media reaction around the Great Orme Goats that we are very fond of locally.
“However, please do not travel to Llandudno to see them at this time. That would not be essential travel and is putting unnecessary demand on all public services.
“You will be welcome to visit Llandudno to see the resident goats once the restrictions are lifted.”
The Great Orme headland is home to a herd of around 200 wild goats, which are thought to be descended from a pair of Indian goats presented by the Shah of Persia to Queen Victoria in 1837.