Zoo breeds rare ape

The zoo has been breeding bonobos for six years

A zoo in the East Midlands is raising a rare breed of ape that is on the verge of extinction in Africa.

The Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, has bred five of the bonobos - the only ones born in the UK.

BBC East Midlands Inside Out visited the zoo with its owner Molly Badham to see some of the primates raised there.

The benobos are hand-fed by the staff, including Molly

The youngsters are the only bonobos in the UK

"We buy the animals presents at Christmas and they get very excited"

The stars of the Brooke Bond tea adverts were chimps raised at the zoo.

The chimpanzees love to ride bicycles

The primates have comfortable enclosures at the zoo

Molly Badham has appeared on Blue Peter with her animals

Molly Badham received an MBE in the Jubilee honours list