“That was so exciting, fun and super cool. The best surprise!”

When summing up our first visit to Cockfields Farm I thought I’d let my six-year-old give his verdict. After all, he and his little brother were the reason for going.

Perhaps, when you’re four and six, when you’ve seen one petting farm you’ve seen them all. And perhaps the grown-ups might agree. But there is something special about being at a farm at this time of year, with new life springing up in some shape or form on a daily basis.

And this month Cockfields Farm is making it even more magical for visitors, with a Super Heroes meet and greet included in your visit.

Spider-Man, Thor, Captain Marvel, Super Girl, Batman and Hulk spent last weekend welcoming excited youngsters (and some equally excited grown-ups) to the farm that sits in the shadow of Hartshead Pike, on the border of Oldham and Ashton Under Lyne.

And they are all ready to report back this weekend too.

Time slots to meet them can be requested at the time of booking your farm visit, and we opted for one of the later ones so that we could explore the farm first.

We kept it a surprise for our little men, which was a sure-fire way to leave them star-struck and stuck for words.

In hindsight, our eldest might have been better prepared if he’d had a heads-up because the shock and excitement of seeing his heroes in real life was a bit overwhelming. But, led by Thor, they could not have been nicer with him and he was soon posing for photos and doing fist-pumps with them all. Even Hulk, which of course is no mean feat.

But Super Heroes aside, Cockfields Farm is a super day out regardless. We went in the afternoon, thinking that 2-3 hours would be plenty, but honestly I could have stayed there all day, and with a timetable of events running from 10.30 to 2.30, as well as the meet and greet, there is plenty to do.

There are cows, sheep, lambs, goats, kids, llamas, pigs, guinea pigs, meerkats, hedgehogs, reptiles, reindeer, and when we walked into the petting barn there were - for me, the piece de resistance - the fluffiest most beautiful and placid rabbits on picnic tables to make it easier for visitors to sit and stroke them. I fell completely in love with Felix, but they were all absolutely adorable.

A free short tractor ride offers a tour of the paddocks at various intervals, there’s a carousel ride (also free), there’s ample outdoor play equipment, including a big bouncy pillow, and a fantastic indoor role play area next to the cafe and picnic area. There is also a shop, which of course you have to walk through to make your way out. They’re not daft.

Having paid for photographs with Super Heroes we drew the line at more souvenirs, but you can’t blame them for trying to maximise an opportunity, especially in the current climate.

There are more egg-citing (sorry!) events planned for Easter on the farm too.

But while my boys are still talking about meeting Thor and feeding sheep with Batman several days on, it was the staff who left the biggest impression on me of all. They were all kind, courteous, knowledgeable and had a real warmth about them, and they had a rapport with all of the children, even the ones who heavily objected to not being able to have a bouncy eyeball from the shop, like mine. They were all treated in such a calm and friendly manner. Now that’s a super hero.

Cockfields Farm is a cashless venue currently open from 10am to 4.30pm seven days a week, with the Super Hero meet and greet running on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 March. Online booking is advised.

Adult Tickets: £13, Child Ticket: £13, Under 1s: £3