THE woman whose monkey was taken into hiding to avoid it being sent to an animal sanctuary has said she is looking forward to getting a new pet.

Grandmother Mary Stanton, 73, of Harrison Street, Blackburn, must wait another seven weeks until a baby Marmoset is ready to leave the Manchester pet shop where it is being looked after with its brothers and sisters.

The pensioner, who has recently bought a fifth Macaw called Charlie to add to her household of pets, including three Amazon parrots, a cockatoo and two dogs, began making inquiries about getting a different type of monkey that did not need a dangerous animal licence because she missed her 'baby' so much.

Mary lost a court battle to keep her 13-year-old capuchin monkey Joe in November after Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council refused to renew her dangerous animal licence. She said: "I'm really excited. He's still only a baby and not ready to leave yet. I think I'm going to call him Max.

"Joe is smashing. He has bonded with his new owners now and he even goes to them when he wants his back scratching."