Carrie Symonds, the fiancée of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has been given a top job at the Aspinall Foundation - the charity which runs Port Lympne and Howletts wildlife parks.

She has been appointed the foundation's head of communications.

The conservation charity runs Port Lympne, near Hythe, and Howletts, near Canterbury and is headed up by Damian Aspinall, son of the parks' late founder, John Aspinall.

Mr Aspinall told the Daily Telegraph: "Carrie takes up her new role at an exciting time for the foundation and we are delighted to have someone of her calibre on the team.

“She’s a passionate champion for wildlife and conservation, whose energy and expertise will be a huge asset to us.”

An outspoken campaigner for animal rights, Ms Symonds was named "person of the year" by Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

She was previously head of communications for the Conservatives in 2018 but left to take up a role at Oceana - a non-profit ocean conservation organisation. It is understood she will continue to work for it alongside her new role.

Ms Symonds is no stranger to the Kent parks.

Last year, she met cheetahs Saba and Nairo before they were successfully returned to the wild in South Africa in a world first last year.

Over the past few years alone, two cheetahs, eight black rhino, 159 primates, 12 European bison, and over 70 western lowland gorillas have also been returned to the wild through the work of the foundation.

Ms Symonds became engaged to the PM in 2019 and last April gave birth to their son, Wilfred.

Both Kent animal parks have been closed during the third national lockdown.

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