A Bradford businessman has returned home from Africa after playing a vital part in saving a rare breed of rhino from extinction.

Dave Thornes, owner of Ladyroyd Garage in Thornton Road, and business associate John Green, of Rydam Universal in Leeds, visited the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya earlier this month to show staff at the reserve how to use a specially-adapted truck to transport rhinos across the reserve.

The pair last year spent £50,000 creating the vehicle aimed at supporting a rhino breeding programme at the reserve.

Four of the world’s last eight known northern white rhinos were moved to Ol Pejeta last December from a Czech zoo.

During their time at the reserve, Mr Thornes and Mr Green moved two rhino bulls out of the area set to be inhabited by the four northern whites.

They also transported several female southern white rhinos into the area, to encourage the two male northern white rhinos to start breeding once they are released.

Their efforts were filmed for the BBC’s Last Chance To See, a series on endangered species hosted by Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine.

Mr Thornes said: “It was a great success. They are over the moon about it. It was one of the best things I have done in my life.

“We have transformed how they move the rhinos around and made life a lot easier. The truck worked perfectly.

“They are hoping that the northern white rhinos will breed among themselves, but are trying to introduce some others to stimulate them and get them breeding again. All the rhinos we capture were dehorned to stop the temptation of poachers.

“On the last day, we moved a female and her calf. That was a magical moment, it was only the size of a large dog.”

The other four northern white rhinos are at San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park.

To find out more about the rhino breeding programme, and to donate to the reserve, visit the website northernwhiterhinolastchance.com.