Marmoset monkey found in lay-by in Scotland
A marmoset monkey has been discovered in a lay by in Scotland and handed into a vet's surgery.
The monkey is now being checked to see if it is one of two stolen from a garden at the weekend.
The common marmosets were taken from the Balmakeith Drive area of Nairn in the Scottish Highlands between 4.30pm and 10.50pm on Saturday. Words: PA
The animals, aged 11 weeks and 12 months, were taken from their garden enclosure shortly after a man went to the house offering to clean the gutters and expressed an interest in buying them.
He is described as white, in his late 20s, short and of medium build, with a roundish face, no facial hair, well presented and with no distinctive accent.
It has now emerged that an adult marmoset was handed in to a vet's surgery in Fife by a member of the public, claiming to have found the animal in a shoebox in a lay-by.
The monkey is being cared for by the Scottish SPCA, who have been as yet unable to confirm if it is the older of the two stolen at the weekend.
Of the two that were stolen, the older marmoset is around 8in (20cm) tall with distinctive white fur markings on the tips of the ears. while the younger monkey is around 3in (8cm) in height, darker in colour with no white markings.
People have been warned not to handle the monkeys as the older one may bite or scratch.
The marmoset found in Fife is now being looked after at the Scottish SPCA's Edinburgh centre.
Inspector Sarah Gregory said: "The person reported finding the animal in a lay-by on the road between Kincardine and High Valleyfield. Unfortunately we have been unable to speak with them ourselves and are appealing to this person to get in touch with us.
"At this stage we can't confirm whether this is linked to the two monkeys who were reported stolen in the Inverness area. We are currently working alongside the police and are asking anyone with information to get in touch."
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