Police have returned a pair of penguins stolen from a zoo two months ago - but have refused to say whether the birds have suffered any harm from their ordeal.

The Humboldt penguins were taken in November from an animal centre, which did not publicise the theft at the time.

Nottinghamshire Police have refused to name the zoo or give any other information such as where the penguins had been kept for the past two months and in what conditions.

Detectives have arrested a 23-year-old man on suspicion of burglary and theft.

Officers said they picked up the birds on Wednesday from Strelley, west Nottingham, after a tip-off.

The suspect has since been released under investigation.

A spokeswoman for the Nottinghamshire force refused to say what sort of home the birds had been kept in while they were missing and whether they were given access to water to swim in and whether they were kept indoors or out.

She declined to say whether the Humboldts had suffered any ill health or mental trauma from being away from the zoo, or whether they were fed a suitable diet during the past few weeks.

And she said she could not say how long it would be before they could disclose such information to the public.

Nor could she explain why the zoo’s identity was being kept secret.

Twycross Zoo at Atherstone, Warwickshire, one of the closest to Nottingham, said it was not the zoo involved.

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