At just eight weeks old they are already the stars of the show at Banham Zoo and yesterday mum Sveta and her tiger twin girls entertained crowds.

The wait was over as vets gave the cubs their first vaccinations and health checks and they were finally able to find out the sex of the cats.

They have spent the summer days exploring their surroundings, sleeping in the shade in their enclosure and attracting attention from thousands of people.

Mike Woolham, animal manager at the zoo, said: 'People have been taking a lot of photos of them and one shows the cubs taking a swipe at their mum's tail.

'The interest has been phenomenal, they have attracted a lot of attention.

'You always know when the cubs are out because there are crowds around the shelter.'

The cubs were microchipped and given a vaccination which will protect them from diseases.

And the girls are already starting to develop their own personalities.

'Keepers have reported that one of the cubs is a lot more confident than the other but they can change over time,' Mr Woolham said.

An eBay auction will be launched over the next few weeks to name the twins. Two winning bidders will each be able to name a cub and their donation will be gifted to 21st Century Tiger, a charity which supports tiger conservation efforts.

'We did it for our snow leopards - Rebecca, Margaash and Ziva - it helped to raise about £1,500 for the snow leopard trust,' Mr Woolham added.

The Amur tiger cubs were born on June 14 and they ventured outside for the first time just three weeks ago

Their mother, five-year-old Sveta, was born in Lisbon Zoo while their father, Kuzma, four, was born in Banham.

Staff at the zoo watched their birth via a CCTV link and an external monitor was installed a few days later so visitors to the zoo could share their progression without being intrusive.

Amur tigers are listed as an endangered species by International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Recent information indicates there are less than 400 animals left in the wild and that captive breeding could be a critical factor in the future survival of the world's largest cat.

The tigers will be at the zoo for around two years.