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The tape used to make the 'special trousers'.

A penguin chick who was born with splayed legs finally has Happy Feet after wearing a special pair of trousers which has fixed the deformity.

The cute animal was born at an aquarium and staff realised it had the problem when he was around three weeks old.

They believe it was caused by the parents sitting on it too heavily.

Once staff realised they began wrapping its legs in tight fitting trousers made from an elasticated material.

It was also regularly placed inside a shallow pot to gradually correct the positioning of his legs as he grew.

After six weeks of treatment, the little creature's legs are back to the usual position and it can waddle like any other Humboldt penguin.

Staff at the Sea Life Centre in Scarborough, Yorks. will not know the gender of the chick until a DNA test is carried out as part of a veterinary check.

He will be able to live with the rest of the colony in about a week's time.

Lyndsey Crawford, spokeswoman from the Sea Life Centre, said: "It's a common issue with many bird species.