Hunt for man who broke into London animal park and beheaded wallaby

Bruce was a Parma wallaby like the one pictured. Photo: PA

Police are hunting a crazed thug who broke into a London animal park and beheaded a wallaby.

Bruce the Parma wallaby was seven years old and had only been living at Brent Lodge Animal Park in west London - popular spot with families - for six months.

A member of staff at the centre told how they found the animal's body in its enclosure, but the head was missing.

A Scotland Yard spokesman told the Daily Mail: 'We were alerted on Thursday morning when staff went in and found the horrific sight.

'At some point during the evening of Wednesday someone gained entry to the Brent Lodge Animal Park by cutting through the fence and, once inside, killed the animal.'

No other animals were injured in theattack, but an Ealing council spokeswoman said the other park's wallaby, Rolph, was 'in a visibly distressed state'.

No arrests have yet been made and inquiries are ongoing.

Visit London describes the Brent Lodge Animal Park as 'a small zoo, home to exotic birds, mongooses, goats, guinea pigs, monkeys, reptiles, spiders, Turkish spiney mice, dormice, inland bearded dragons and more.'