A WOMAN who had five monkeys snatched from her home is offering a reward for information.

The family of marmosets, native to Brazil, were stolen from a secure outdoor enclosure in the Eastbourne area of Darlington.

Their owner, Jane Shields, fears the five may die unless they are reunited with their mother, Emma, who was left behind.

Thieves broke into the shed in the early hours of Friday morning and managed to capture a four-year-old male, Woody, who is the size of a squirrel.

They also made off with 18-month-old female Jazz, twins Cheeky and Gizzmo, who are 11-months-old, and five-month-old Fudge, who weighs only a few ounces.

Emma, the mate of Woody, was thought to have been forced outside the enclosure and left behind because she proved too difficult to handle.

The monkeys, worth about £1,000 each, are all pets owned by Mrs Shields, her husband, Steve, and their 12-year-old son, Alex.

Mrs Shields said: "They knew what they were doing. They obviously knew how to handle monkeys, particularly marmosets, which move very quickly indeed.

"These animals mate for life and family groups are essential to their collective well-being. I am really worried that Fudge may not survive the ordeal of being separated from mum.

"And the mother herself, who is pregnant, may well abort because of the distress this incident has caused."

She is offering a reward for their return and the arrest and conviction of the thieves.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on (01325) 467681 or Crimestoppers anonymously on (0800) 555 111.