Three pet primates face a more secure future thanks to the actions of an animal centre in Cornwall.

Wild Futures Monkey Sanctuary in Looe recently announced it plans to permanently rehome the capuchins, who are native to South America.

Called Kiwi, Gizzie and Grips, the three creatures were at risk of becoming homeless when their previous owner became unable to meet the needs of the exotic pets.

Before arriving at their new location, the primates were housed in a converted dog kennel, but they are now enjoying the facilities of the sanctuary and will be medically screened to check they have no medical problems.

Petra Osterberg, from the centre, said: "The new arrivals are already booked in at the vets for a thorough medical examination, though we obviously hope that all three come out with a clean bill of health."

In other news, the RSPCA's wildlife scientist Ros Clubb recently called on the government to make it illegal for people to keep primates as pets due to the complex needs of the creatures.