Twycross Zoo supporters call for new antelope to be named after £17m NHS charity hero fundraiser Captain Tom Moore

RETIRED ARMY VETERAN, 99, 'GATECRASHES' FACEBOOK POLL AND IS CURRENTLY IN SECOND PLACE

HERO fundraiser Captain Tom Moore has gatecrashed a vote to help name a new baby antelope at the world-famous wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Atherstone.

The Kirk's Dik-Dik calf was born over the bank holiday weekend at Twycross Zoo – still remembered for its ground-breaking TV advertisements more than half a century ago using its chimpanzees to promote PG Tips tea with the hillarious dialogue 'Avez-vous un cuppa?'.

The owners thought it would be fitting idea on NHS Day to asked its supporters to pay tribute to the "amazing" frontline carers by choosing from a selection of three names in recognition of local hospitals.

Hosting a Facebook page poll – the options were 'George' after George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust in Nuneaton, 'Samuel' after the Samuel Johnson Community Hospital in Lichfield and 'Robert' after the Sir Robert Peel Community Hospital in Mile Oak, Tamworth.

The vote, which coincided with last night's #ClapForCarers, brought response in the hundreds – many plumping for George, which is Atherstone's main hospital.

But the zoo's followers were determined to recognise the contribution to the NHS made by the 99-year-old retired army captain in raising more than £17.5 million after walking 100 laps of his back garden.

Captain Moore's original aim was to raise a modest £1,000 for NHS Charities Together by completing the walk before his 100th birthday at the end of this month.

'Captain Tom' became a name added as a "must" by the Facebook voters on the page.

Lindsey Fitzpatrick posted: "I did give a thumbs up for George but I'm going with the others for Captain Tom.

"What a wonderful story to tell when the children ask at the zoo why he is a Captain and then you can tell of the 99-year-old war veteran who raised so much money for our NHS service through such a terrible time for the country he is without a doubt the biggest support."

Nicky Webber Tapley added: "Call him Captain Tom after his achievements today for raising so much for all NHS. Then save those three for the next birth."

Other names that were offered up by the voters included 'Boris' after "our lovely prime minister"; 'Nightingale' for the field hospitals being commissioned across the UK to fight coronavirus; and Ulysses Henry Charles William for the UHCW (Walsgrave) hospital in Coventry.

Humour was added by Richard Helliwell with 'Dik McDikface' and Alison Day suggested the name 'Bevan' after NHS founder Aneurin Bevan.

Nub News did a count at 8am this morning and George had 83 votes, Captain Tom was in second place with 58, Samuel 23, Robert eight, Boris six and Nightingale five.

The zoo relies on its existence from the income of visitors – and is now experiencing the longest closure in its 57-year history.

To help support the zoo, the upkeep of which costs hundreds of thousands of pounds a month, you can click here to donate.