A PAIR of rare monkeys have been stolen from a farm where they had been taken to breed.

Burglars took the Goeldi monkeys, worth around £2,000 each, from Tweddle Animal farm, in Blackhall Colliery, near Hartlepool.

The pair, called George and Mildred, are described as marmoset-type monkeys, and went missing between 11pm last night and 4am this morning.

PC George Gaskin said: "There are believed to be only 10 of these rare animals in captivity in this country and they were on loan to the farm in the hope they would breed.

"The main concern is their welfare as, if they don't get the correct care they need, they could come to serious harm.

"It's believed the monkeys were taken from their cage while they were asleep as they are extremely agile and would have been very difficult to catch and handle had they been alert."

Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to ring police on 0345 6060 365.

Read the full story in tomorrow's Northern Echo