AN UNUSUAL passenger got on board as a family was accompanied by their pet goat on their day out to the Lake District.

Windermere Lake Cruises already offers canine companions free travel, but a goat named Eric was spotted taking in the sights and sounds of the Lakes during National Pet Month. 

Passenger Jack Barrett from Burnley in Lancashire arrived in the Lake District for the ‘Red Cruise’ between Bowness and Ambleside as part of a family day over the Easter holidays.

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Mr Barrett said: “Eric the goat is 16 weeks old and he's been a part of the family for four weeks now. My sons Max, aged 10, and Oskar, aged two, love him! He's really friendly and I take him out a lot and he gets a lot of attention.

"Eric is our pet and lives in the house with us, so it was natural that he should join us when we drove up to Windermere for the day.  I usually go on a cruise when I'm up here, as it's a great way to relax and the views are stunning.”

Windermere Lake Cruises makes 1.5 million passenger journeys every year, but it’s the first time they’ve ever had a goat on board.

James Ventham from Windermere Lake Cruises said: “It was quite a surprise to have a passenger requesting to bring their pet goat on board, but we always welcome dogs and it is National Pet Month after all, so we were happy to accommodate this more unusual request!”

National Pet Month, ending on May 1, seeks to raise awareness on responsible pet ownership.