FORMER fashion design student Natalie Wood says she is so glad she made the decision to change her career - for she is soon off to Malaysia on the trip of a lifetime.

The 26-year-old, of Keighley Road, Skipton, studied fashion at Sheffield Hallam University, but her love of animals led her to take a diploma in animal management at Craven College, and now she is going to Borneo to care for orangutans.

She is to spend almost three months at a sanctuary where she will look after animals that have been orphaned or rescued because of the loss of their habitat.

Natalie, who has raised £3,500 to make the trip from various fundraising events and donations, said: "I really want to travel, but to travel with a purpose, and this is ideal. I worked for a time at Battersea Park Zoo in London, which is where I became interested in primate conservation and rehabilitation.

"Orangutans are suffering greatly because humans are destroying their habitat for the palm oil industry, or from poachers. The sanctuary where I'll be working cares for them until they can be released into a 'semi-wild' environment. I'm really looking forward to going."