A zoo keeper has taken on the role of mum to two abandoned monkeys.

When the squirrel monkeys were born two weeks early at Drusillas Park, Alfriston, near Polegate, their mother abandoned them within hours.

Since then the life of animal manager Mark Kenwood has been turned upside down as he takes on the task of rearing them by hand.

It means sleepless nights for Mark because the babies need feeding every three hours throughout the day and night with baby formula milk in a syringe feeder.

Like human babies, the monkeys have their own soft toys to cuddle up to. Normally they would cling tightly to their mother so to simulate this behaviour they have been given a toy rabbit and toy owl.

Mark said: "Mothers will sometimes abandon their offspring if their hormones do not alter following the birth.

"When this happens it can lead to the mother displaying some very negative behaviour towards their young, including dropping them on the floor.

"It is always a shame when a baby is abandoned but, if we can get to it in time, it stands a good chance of survival.

"In the case of the two squirrel monkey babies, we recognised there was a problem early and the decision was made to remove the babies from the group for their own safety. Both the squirrel monkeys are doing fine now and growing stronger every day."