Baboons make a monkey out of England fans

LONDON: Baboons at a British safari park are making a monkey of England World Cup fans by stealing the flags from their cars, the park's bosses said on Wednesday.

The animals have amassed a huge collection of the red-on-white Saint George's cross flags at Knowsley Safari Park near Liverpool, northwest England.

Keepers said the 120-strong troop have been known to make off with windscreen wipers but are now going bananas about the England flags festooning many vehicles.

"Many people are wisely removing the flags before they set off on the safari drive," said David Ross, the park's general manager.

"However, if they forget, the baboons usually take them and they've now built up quite a collection.

"Visitors are certainly enjoying their antics with the flags as it does look like they are showing their support for the efforts of the England team in Germany."

He added: "The baboons have always been great fun but they are the vandals of the animal world."