NOBODY will be prosecuted over the pet monkey that was taken into hiding, say council bosses -- unless its secret location is uncovered.

John Stanton, 76, of Harrison Street, Blackburn, faced prosecution by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council after sending his wife's capuchin monkey more than 300 miles away to avoid it being sent to a Dorset ape sanctuary.

But today council officials said they were powerless to take any further legal action because the monkey was no longer in the borough and urged whoever was keeping the pet to own up.

A spokesman for the council said: "We cannot prosecute Mary or John because the monkey is no longer in the borough but we would urge anybody who knows where Joe us to get in contact with us. The person who is keeping Joe is doing so illegally."

In November, after his wife Mary lost her court battle to keep 13-year-old Joe, Mr Stanton said he would rather go to jail than see the pet go to Monkey World and that he was faced with no other option but to send him into hiding.

In a letter to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, John reassured worried readers that Joe was safe and well and settling down in his new home.

He added he had not made the decision lightly and believed his actions had saved Joe's life.

Joe's exact location remains a mystery but he is believed he is with one of John's old navy friends in the south of England.