Twycross Zoo is home to a primate centre (Picture: Alistair Heap)

A zoo defused a potential mass chimpanzee escape by coaxing the animals back into their enclosure with ice cream and fizzy drinks.

Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire reopened at 11.30am after closing earlier in the morning when a group of chimpanzees got into a ‘secure service area’ of their enclosure during rehousing.

‘This required closure of the zoo whilst keepers encouraged the chimps back into their normal living areas with ice cream and fizzy drinks,’ a message on the zoo’s website said.

‘At no time were the public at risk, and no people or chimps were harmed during the incident. However, it is part of our safety procedures that we close the zoo whilst such events are resolved.’




The zoo added: ‘Investigations will commence internally now the situation has been resolved into how the animal escaped.

‘The zoo reopened at 11.30am today and all of the chimps are fine, if not a little excited about having ice cream for breakfast. They are all on view to the public as normal.’

Earlier, police said they were called to the zoo around 9.35am.

‘They don’t appear to have actually physically escaped,’ a spokesperson said.

‘As a precaution, we’ve been called by the zoo.’