Residents will need a licence from April if they want to keep a primate as a pet.

The RSPCA estimate that in the UK around 5,000 primates – such as monkeys and lemurs – are kept in domestic settings.

Government legislation comes into force from 6 April requiring people to have a licence from their local council if they want to keep such animals as pets.

Cannock Chase Council has already written to vets across the area asking them to make any customers who do keep primates aware of the need to contact their local authority.