THE newlywed couple who ran an unlicensed zoo that burned down, killing nearly all the animals, also own a tanning salon that burned down.
Jade Webster, 35, and her husband Paul Webster, 40, were the owners of the zoo – which was destroyed in the early hours on Wednesday.
Among the animals that perished in the deadly fire were meerkats, owls, iguanas, giant tortoises and a 16ft snake.
Ten fire engines rushed to the Watermill Industrial Estate in Hertfordshire as flames engulfed the children’s mini zoo.
The Jungle Box, which opened last June, was home to a children’s soft play centre as well as a mini zoo and petting corner packed with exotic creatures.
Despite firefighters’ efforts to tackle the blaze, only one of the animals trapped inside survived – a baby tortoise.
Based in the Hertfordshire village of Goffs Oak, Jade and Paul opened The Jungle Box in Buntingford in June last year.
Jade also operated a tanning salon named The Tanning Box in Goffs Oak which is understood to have burned down in July 2024.