REMEMBER when you were five years old and the coolest thing you could imagine was having your own pet lizard?

Well Steve Mills kept his dream alive, and now he has his own exotic pet shop. For the past four years Mr Mills has run Lenny’s Lizards reptile rescue centre in the home he shares with his partner, Nikkie Almond, in Wantage, finding new homes for abandoned reptiles and amphibians.

But now they have finally moved their centre into a shop in Wantage town centre, where they hope they will have more luck attracting new owners.

Mr Mills says at the age of 40 he has finally found what he wants to do with the rest of his life.

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He said: “I have certainly got a smile on my face now I’m here – I’m one of the poorest but one of the happiest people in Wantage.”

The part-time labourer has opened the shop despite not yet having a pet shop licence.

At the moment, he can sell feed, glass tanks (called vivaria) and equipment, but he is not legally allowed to sell or even give animals away.

But he is working with Vale of White Horse District Council and says he is confident that he can meet all the authority’s requirements and earn his licence in a matter of weeks.

He added: “The people who have been coming in so far have been absolutely lovely, all very interested in what we do. I have got a couple of donation pots and people are putting in pennies and pounds.”

“I do believe it’s all going to work.”

Mr Mills does labouring work for his friend Trevor Rolls, who also helped him refurbish the shop unit on Mill Street.

Lenny’s Lizards also boasts a healthy 25 volunteers who help look after the menagerie.

All the reptiles in Lenny’s Lizards are rescues looking for loving homes: some have been confiscated by the RSPCA or customs authorities, while others are donations from pet shops or breeders who cannot look after them.

Mr Mills said it started when he became aware of just how many were being dumped, and ended up turning his shed and then his living room into a reptile rescue centre.

He added: “We’re open to anyone with an interest in reptiles. Please pop in and speak to me, I have got all the information you need. If you already own a reptile we do all feed – live and frozen, anything like that as well as vivaria and equipment.”

Lenny’s Lizards the shop officially opened on Saturday, August 8.

Find out more at lennyslizards.com