A donkey ride firm - thought to be Britain's oldest - has hit back at calls to ban them from a seaside resort - saying the animals are happy and well looked after.<br /><br />Campaigners are trying to ban the popular rides - saying the seaside tradition is “outdated and cruel” and wants it to end at Weston-super-Mare after 138 years.<br /><br />But a donkey ride company in the Somerset resort has urged protestors to “come down and talk to us if you’ve got concerns” - and the animals are well cared for.<br /><br />A petition - launched on change.org on August 1- has branded the seaside tradition “distressing”. <br /><br />It said: “I am a passionate advocate for animal welfare and deeply distressed by the continued use of donkeys and horses for beach rides in Weston-super-Mare”. <br /><br />The petition currently has over 400 signatures - if it reaches 500, it will be sent to the local council and the Government.
