Simon Bates puts panda in mood for love

Edinburgh Zoo's panda Yang Guang is getting in the mood for lover - by listening to former Radio 1 stars Simon Bates and David 'Kid' Jensen.

Keepers have switched his radio from Classic FM to the sounds of Smooth Radio hoping it will encourage him to mate with Tian Tian.

The station has responded by playing a daily love song for Yang Guang, including Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On.

Interest is growing around the world as the panda mating season approaches and intimate details of the pair's warm-up routine have already emerged, including physical exercises, special lighting and extra rations of bamboo.

But it seems that music - as much as bamboo - could be the food of love for Yang Guang.

A spokeswoman for Edinburgh Zoo confirmed: "We play easy listening radio to Yang Guang in his off-show area.

"He has always been more sensitive than Tian Tian to background noise, so it's settling and soothing for him to have it playing softly in the background.

"You can often see him sit back, relax and eat his bamboo whilst the radio is on."

A spokeswoman at Smooth Radio described the situation as "very amusing".

If Yang Guang and Tian Tian, who are currently on loan from China, mate successfully this year their cubs would be the first born in the UK.