A SENIOR biologist from Weymouth Sea Life Park has jetted off on a three-month Italian job.

Fiona Smith headed out to the picturesque Lake Garda in northern Italy to help set up a new Sea Life centre.

Fiona, 26, will help set up the tanks at the new facility and offer advice to curator Sabrina Repetto and her team.

The 15 million euro (around £12 million) centre is being developed alongside the Gardaland theme park, which attracts up to 40,000 visitors a day.

As she set off for her Italian adventure, Fiona said: "It's going to be amazing.

"It's a large centre and all the scenery and special decorations are being produced by Gardaland's own accomplished creative team.

"As a result some of the décor is going to rival even the tropical sharks for sheer spectacle."

The trip will not be the first time Fiona, from Hope Square, Weymouth, has been asked to help on other projects since joining the Weymouth team in January last year.

She has assisted with her expertise at Sea Life centres in Hanover and Konstanz in Germany and Bray in Ireland, as well as the new Sea Life Centre at the Chessington World of Adventures theme park.