This pampered pig is making himself right at home just like a puppy would - as the Covid pandemic pet boom has seen a surge in the popularity of micro pigs.

Families around the country have welcomed the tiny pigs into their homes over the last year, and the unusual pets seem to be fitting right in alongside other animals including dogs, cats, birds, and tortoises.

In fact, micro pigs can be house trained in much the same way as a dog, learning to eat from a bowl in the kitchen, go for walks on a lead - and even learning tricks like 'sit' or 'stay'.

Micro pig farm Kew Little Pigs, based in Amersham, Bucks., say they have seen a huge number of applicants during the pandemic, keen to give a home to miniature or micro pigs.

Founder Olivia Mikhail said: "Everyone talks about the puppy boom, but there has also been a piggy boom.

"But we think it’s wonderful that so many people are considering micro pigs."

In Worcestershire, Lisa and Mark Thomas, and their two children Olivia, 13, and Oscar, seven, have welcomed micro pig Biscuit into their family.

It took the Thomas family two years to decide on a suitable pet - due to 43-year-old Lisa's severe anaphylaxis, and Olivia's fur allergy.

Lisa said: "We did a lot of research over a few years, and Kew Little Pigs were absolutely great.

"It was such a wonderful moment bringing her home. To surprise Olivia and Oscar again I went to get her while they were at school.

"When they got home they came out onto the veranda and there she was, and Olivia just feel to her knees and cried, she picked Biscuit up and they hit it off straight away.

"She has brought so much love and joy into our lives.

"She sleeps in our house at night on her dog bed, and she has blankets in it for rooting a nuzzling. At night time she knows when it’s time to settle down.

"We have a pool in the garden and she goes in for a swim. She has her own pool float that she likes to sit on too.

"All the things you get from having a dog we get from Biscuit, she gets excited when the kids come home from school, she is one of the family.

"People are amazed when they see her and we get so many questions, she is a local celebrity and I am known as the 'pig lady'.

"She is inquisitive, nosey, playful and gets the hump when she doesn’t get what she wants, what more could you ask for?"

Lisa added that Biscuit's favourite foods are bananas, grapes, apples and courgettes - but the picky piggy steers clear of broccoli.

Biscuit has also been trained to use a lead and harness, and even responds to the 'spin' command - and loves to be told she is a 'good girl'.

To find out more about Kew Little Pigs, visit: https://kewlittlepigs.com.