BREAKING NEWS: Escaped monkey on the loose in the Scottish Highlands

The Japanese macaque has been spotted in a couple's garden after escaping from a wildlife park

A monkey, which escaped from the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie, has been evading capture for the past three days. The wildlife park is reportedly using thermal drones to search for the primate, which was spotted raiding a bird feeder in a garden yesterday.

Children have been warned to stay indoors unless supervised in light of the news, although the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which runs the park, has confirmed that the monkey isn't dangerous and simply needs not to be approached. Members of the public have described seeing the animal as 'surreal' and 'shocking', saying that it had been a once in a lifetime experience.

The search for the macaque has intensified over the past day or so, but staff remain hopeful that the monkey will return back to the zoo of its own accord.