With an array of great restaurants, country pubs and days out on offer, Leicestershire mums are in for a treat this Mother's Day.

From relaxing spa days to family lunches, you are sure to find something to put a smile on you mum's face on March 18.

One place where mothers can combine a spot of pampering and a good dose of family fun is at Twycross Zoo.

The award-winning attraction is offering entry to mums for a fiver and a special three course meal for £16.95.

Luke Hudman, marketing and PR assistant said: "We have a couple of events for Mother's Day and it should be a really good day out. We have a three course Mother's Day lunch which people have been booking for since before Christmas and we also have a special deal where mother's with a child get entry to the zoo for £5.

"The Mother's Day meal is being held in Windows On The Wild which is a really unique place to have lunch. To get there you have to walk through an aviary so you are actually in with the birds, then you can sit and watch them while you eat."

And to ensure that mums get a bit of time to themselves the world primate centre is also offering a special card-making workshop to help keep your little monkeys out of trouble.

Luke said: "We are holding a card-making workshop where Tipsy our mascot and the monkey bunch will be helping children make cards out of recycled materials. It should be fun for the children and it will also give mums a bit of peace and quiet."

Elsewhere the county has plenty of things on offer to help you show your mum how much you care.

So whether you are looking for bespoke jewellery, fantastic flowers or live music, here is our run down of 10 of Leicestershire's best destinations to help you plan the perfect Mother's Day.

EATING OUT

1. Beaumanor Hall, Beaumanor Drive, Woodhouse, Loughborough, LE12 8TX, 01509 890 119.

Food served: Sundays 12pm-1.45pm.

Style: Carvery.

Mother’s Day: Three course menu, £19.50 per person.

Try: Roast beef, served with Yorkshire pudding, bacon rolled chipolata, sage and onion stuffing, roast and new potatoes, vegetables and gravy.

Make your mum feel like a ‘Lady of the manor’ this March 18 with Sunday lunch at the beautiful Beaumanor Hall.

The 19th Century country home is offering a three course carvery menu where you can get a delicious roast dinner with all the trimmings.

And after a lovely lunch with the family you can take a stroll around the picturesque gardens and parklands.

2. Rose and Crown, 69 Uppingham Road, Houghton On The Hill, LE7 9HJ, 0116 241 2044.

Food served: Monday to Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm.

Style: Country pub.

Mother’s Day: Three course menu, £15.95 per person.

Try: Cod wrapped in smoked salmon served with a herb butter.

For a Mother’s Day meal in relaxed and friendly surroundings head to the Rose and Crown at Houghton On The Hill.

The country pub has created a special three course menu, including cod wrapped in smoked salmon, mushroom and walnut tart and a range of carvery options.

Situated in idyllic countryside just 15 minutes outside Leicester, the Rose and Crown offers the perfect place for a leisurely Sunday lunch with the whole family.

3. The Staff Of Life, Main Street, Mowsley, Lutterworth, LE17 6NT. 0116 240 2359.

Food served: Lunch: Saturday noon to 2.15pm and Sunday noon to 3pm. Dinner: Tuesday to Saturday 6pm to 9pm.

Style: Gastro pub/country restaurant.

Mother’s Day: Three course set menu £24. 50 per person.

Try: Knaptoft farm shot pheasant breast and leg cooked in real ale with bacon and prunes, served with butter mash.

Tucked away in the picture-perfect village of Mowsley, The Staff of Life has built a reputation as one of Leicestershire’s premier dining destinations.

Offering fresh locally-sourced food in a warm and relaxing environment it is recommended by the AA and the Good Pub Guide.

For Mother’s Day the pub is pulling out all the stops with a three-course menu featuring an enticing mix of classic British fayre and modern dishes.

From starters like wild rabbit and crisp chorizo on creamed leeks with chorizo dressing, to mains that include roast beef and thyme Yorkshire pudding, you won’t be disappointed.

And to really spoil your mum on this special day check out the stunning dessert menu that includes choux swans on a bed of warm chocolate sauce and apple and rhubarb crumble with custard.

SHOPS/PRESENTS

4. Chocolate Alchemy, Church Gate Mews Loughborough, LE11 1TZ, 01509 238113.

Sells: Handmade chocolates.

Mother’s Day: Hand-pick a selection of chocolates to suit your mum’s tastes.

Open: Tuesday to Saturday 9am-5pm.

Chocolates are always a popular Mother’s Day present but if you want to go a step further than a tin of chocs from the supermarket then pop into Chocolate Alchemy.

This Aladdin’s Cave of chocolaty treats offers some of the best around, all handmade by owner and ‘chocolate alchemist’ Pete Gardner.

From classic flavour combinations, bars and beans through to chocolates laced with exotic tastes like balsamic vinegar, wasabi or fennel, you are guaranteed to fine something to please even the most particular of palates.

Choose from a range of gift boxes or create your very own bespoke selection.

5. The Flower Corner, 95A Queens Road, Claredon Park, Leicester, LE2 1TT, 0116 2700900.

Sells: Flowers and gifts.

Mother’s Day: Choose from a range of special bouquets.

Open: Monday to Saturday 8.30am-6pm, Sunday 9.30am-1pm.

From beautiful pre-wrapped bouquets to bespoke arrangements, The Flower Corner will help you find the perfect flower’s for Mother’s Day.

And if you are looking to do all your present-buying in one place the shop also stocks a range of gifts including champagne, chocolates, perfume and food hampers.

The shop delivers throughout Leicester and the surrounding area.

6. Ragdale Hall, Ragdale Village, Melton Mowbray, LE14 3PB,01664 433000.

Sells: Spa treatments

Mother’s Day: A wide range of treatments and gift vouchers. Get a free £25 treatment when you buy £150 gift vouchers.

Open: Daily - ring for availability.

A runner-up in last year’s Sunday Times Travel Magazine’s Reader’s Awards, this celebrated spa is the perfect place for mums to relax and recharge the batteries.

For a Mother’s Day present they won't forget, book you mum or partner for a day of pampering and de-stressing in the most luxurious of surroundings.

Choose from a range of treatments and packages including massages and special mother and daughter days.

7. Silver Treasure Company, 7 Ringers Close, Oadby, 07714 206484.

Sells: Bespoke fingerprint jewellery.

Mother’s Day: Get the Silver Treasure Company to help you make unique jewellery using your children’s fingerprints.

Open:9am-8pm.

For a truly unique Mother’s Day gift that will be treasured for a lifetime, create jewellery from your children’s fingerprints.

The simple and painless process can be turned into an array of pieces from charms and bracelets to cufflinks and key rings.

Designer Maria Nieves can also create jewellery from your drawings and include any wording you like.

8. Mother’s Day Art and Craft Fair, Three Swans Hotel, High Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7NJ.

Sells: More than 35 stalls featuring a wide range of arts and crafts.

Mother’s Day: Pick up an original handmade gift.

Open: March 17.

Doubling up as a great place to grab an original gift and as a day out in its own right, this art and craft fair in Market Harborough is well worth a visit.

There are more than 35 stalls featuring a wide range of items made by independent artisans. These include everything from home furnishings to handmade soaps and paintings to pottery.

EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

9. Twycross Zoo, Burton Road Atherstone CV9 3PX, 0844 474 1777.

Event/activity: Zoo.

Mother’s Day: Mum’s get in for £5. Three-course meal £16.95.

With more than 1,000 animals spread over its 50 acres it is no surprise that Twycross Zoo has become one of the Midland’s favourite days out.

The zoo boasts the most comprehensive collection of primates in the world as well as everything from camels to chickens and elephants to alpacas.

On March 18 Mum’s get in for a fiver and you can also enjoy a three course meal overlooking the aviary. The set menu includes pork loin au poivre with dauphinoise potatos and pan fried sea bass with crushed new potatoes and pesto cream.

10. The Hollies, De Montfort Hall, Granville Road, Leicester, LE1 7RU, 0116 233 3111.

Event/activity: Concert.

When: March 18, 7.30pm.

Tickets: From £22.50.

Embarking on their 50th anniversary tour, The Hollies remain one of the UK’s most enduringly popular music acts.

And for all those mums who grew up in the swinging sixties listening to hits like The Air That I Breathe, Bus Stop, Carrie Anne, Just One Look and He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother, a ticket for this gig is a perfect Mother’s Day present.

Along with the Beatles and Stones the Hollies helped shape the popular musical landscape and remain a charismatic and captivating live band.