PEBBLES the penguin is dancing for joy – because she truly does have Happy Feet. After a somewhat wobbly start in life she’s now strutting her stuff with the best of them – thanks to a nifty pair of pants.

She was born with badly splayed legs which would have made her life among a colony of Humboldt penguins very difficult.

But, one year on, her condition has been completely remedied with the aid of special elastic trousers.

“Pebbles’s mum and dad were a bit over zealous with their brooding,” said Lyndsey Crawford, displays supervisor at the Sea Life Centre in Scarborough.

“By the time we were able to disturb the nest without upsetting them her legs were growing out sideways instead of straight.

“It’s a common problem with many bird species, but unless treated quickly it can result in a permanent disability.”

Lyndsey and her colleagues used coloured elasticated bandage to make Pebbles' tight-fitting trousers, and gradually they succeeded in correcting her gait.

“It’s brilliant to see her getting about just as well as all the other penguins one year on,” she said.

“She’s not exactly graceful, but at least now she’s only as clumsy and ungainly as all penguins are on dry land.”

To celebrate her first birthday and her recovery, staff prepared Pebbles a special iced fish cake.

“I don’t think she had a clue why she was getting a special treat, but she looked very happy about it all the same,” said Lyndsey.

Pebbles is part of a 20-strong flock of Humboldts residing in a newly-redeveloped enclosure, Penguin Island, which includes a unique walkthrough path for visitors, as well as a large dive pool and underwater viewing area.