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Angry monkeys turned on their cruel trainer - and beat him senseless with his own stick.

They went ape when their owner handed out a vicious beating to one of the trio during a performance riding mini bicycles in a market in Sizhou, eastern China.

While one twisted his ears, another pulled his hair out in handfuls and bit his neck.

Then when he dropped his cane, the third snatched it up and began beating the trainer around the head until he broke the stick.

The dazed trainer confessed: "They were once wild and these performances don't always come naturally to them.

"They may have built up some feelings of hatred towards me."

Now police are investigating allegations of animal cruelty and may confiscate the monkeys.

In related monkey stories, check out the incredible pig with the face of a monkey and the video of the monkey waiters from Japan .