Pigs really can fly....with the help of a trampoline

Scarlet is trying to prove that pigs really can fly....with the help of a trampoline.

Published: 8:00AM GMT 05 Dec 2009

Do pigs fly? Well, Gwen and Steve Howell's pig Scarlet loves to jump on their trampoline at the family home on Airedale Farm in Shropshire. Photo: NEWSTEAM

Gwen Howell discovered her pet's hidden talent after leaving her on the family's trampoline in their garden.

Scarlet, a Hungarian mangalitza, loves bouncing around the orchard of her home in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

Mrs Howell, 46, an estate agent, said the piglet took over the hobby from their other pet pig Percy after he got too fat.

She and husband Steve, 43, had placed Percy, who is also Scarlet's father, on their eight year-old daughter Alex's trampoline several months ago when they discovered its unique circus skills.

Gwen said: "We decided we would try and put our boar, Percy on the trampoline one day and he absolutely loved it.

"He is very tame and quite trainable. He was on there and just went for it and started jumping up and down, we couldn't believe it. It was hard to get him off.

"The only problem is Percy has piled on the pounds and is way to porky to put on the trampoline nowadays.

"So we tried to put Scarlet on there. Whenever you pick a pig up they squeal really loudly.

"But we picked her up and of course she screamed, but as soon as she was placed on the trampoline she stopped.

"She started sniffing around and started to walk on it, then we put some food on there and she started feeling her feet.

"She started to jump a bit and she has only been doing it for three days, for 45 minutes a time, she loves it.

"All our friends want to see Scarlet in action as soon as they get here, she's become the star attraction.

"The pigs seem to love the trampoline even more than our two daughters."

Now the Howells plan to get their flying pig an audience with Simon Cowell in the next series of Britain's Got Talent.

They are taking Scarlet, Percy and several more of their pet pigs to auditions for the show at Birmingham's NEC next Thursday.

Mrs Howell said: "We are really looking forward to going down to Britains Got Talent. Scarlet will be trampolining and two of our other pigs, Arthur and Polly, will be doing their own dances nearby.

"We hope the judges will be impressed and fingers crossed next week we will have some good news."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6728968/Pigs-really-can-fly....with-the-help-of-a-trampoline.html