MEERKATS may be good at finding cheap deals for your car insurance, but it seems that they are not so good at finding love. Luckily they have Simon Wisson, a pet breeder from St Neots, who has become an animal cupid after responding to an online lonely

MEERKATS may be good at finding cheap deals for your car insurance, but it seems that they are not so good at finding love.

Luckily they have Simon Wisson, a pet breeder from St Neots, who has become an animal cupid after responding to an online lonely hearts advert on behalf of one of his animals.

Mr Wisson, of Simon's Rodents, has helped two meerkats find love via the internet by responding to a plea by staff at Twinlakes Family Themepark in Melton Mowbray looking for company for their lonely meerkat, Lilly.

In a desperate bid to find her a mate, they even set up a dating profile on www.meerkatmatch.com, which received more than 74,000 hits in one month.

On her profile, Lilly was described as a "fun-loving three-year-old meerkat" who is "dark eyed, inquisitive, free spirited with a good sense of humour".

Her hobbies were fine dinning, digging and cosy nights in.

Lilly's search for love was also posted on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook and via a video on YouTube.

Eager to help the park's only meerkat find love and start a family, Mr Wisson contacted them and put forward a two-year-old male, now known as Mr Darcy.

The park, and more importantly Lilly, was happy with the choice of suitor and both meerkats are said to be getting on well.

Mr Wisson, 36, who runs the family-run business providing pets to the pet trade, said: "We heard they were looking for a male so we thought it would be an ideal opportunity for one of ours. Mr Darcy arrived at the park on Monday (April 26) and he is said to be getting on tremendously with Lilly."

People will soon be able to follow the couple's progress via a webcam.

Sandy Gyorvari, park and marketing manager, told The Hunts Post: "Mr Darcy and Lilly have been introduced and it appeared to be love at first sight - they really are a match made in heaven.