(Photos) Family Given £26,000 In Benefits In One Go For TV Show Turn Home Into Zoo:

A family who were handed their year's worth of benefits in one lump sum for a TV show have used the £26,000 to turn their home into a zoo.
Scott Gavin has become a newly-made entrepreneur after taking part in Channel 5's Big BenefitsHandout allowed him to set up his own travelling animal show business.

The dad-of-four from Kirkby, Merseyside, now owns a 12-ft Burmese python , five foot long iguanas, horn snakes, giant tarantulas, giant millipedes and snails and a skink, the Liverpool Echo reports.

Scott, 31, initially came under criticism after buying a £950 bouncy slide, a PlayStation and a raccoon with the cash.

But he says the money, given to them as part of a social experiment to find out what families would do if they were given their state handouts in one go, has paid dividends.

As part of his business Party Central Entertainments Ltd, Scott hosts parties for childrens’ birthdays, Holy Communions, christenings and any other special occasions.

All the creatures are kept at the house, along with his wife Leanne, 26, and their four children aged 10, eight, seven and four.

Some of the reptiles are kept inside the property in large tanks, while other animals live in the outdoor aviary.

He is converting a 30-ft shed into another animal sanctuary, while plans are afoot to turn his loft into a further two bedrooms.