Longleat monkeys will be fenced-off after herpes scare

The infected monkey is currently in quarantine

Visitors to Longleat safari park will be able to see monkeys again after they were shut away from the public earlier this week - but from a distance.

The drive-through monkey jungle at the safari park was closed after one of the creatures was found to have Simian B herpes, which can be fatal to humans.

Staff are building a new fenced-off enclosure in the existing jungle so visitors can see them from afar.

It is expected to reopen at the Wiltshire park later this year.

The creature was found to have the virus during routine tests of the rhesus monkey colony at the safari park in March last year.

The monkeys are regularly tested by the Health Protection Agency.

The Simian B virus is part of the herpes family and is not thought to be a serious infection for monkeys - but it can be fatal if transmitted to humans.