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London Zoo gorilla on the loose for 25 minutes sent panicked visitors hiding indoors

London Zoo confirmed the gorilla is now “alive and well” and may be given treats tonight including his favoured watermelon.

Rob Hogan took this 30mins before breakout

Western Lowland gorilla Kumbuka, who is 18, escaped from his enclosure this evening after reportedly smashing through glass.

Armed police were called to the central London attraction and visitors were evacuated as keepers desperately tried to recapture the loose animal.

But Malcolm Fitzpatrick, curator of mammals at the zoo, described the escape of Kumbuka as a “minor incident” in which the male gorilla got into a secure keeper area that was not open to the public.

A statement released by the zoo tonight confirmed the gorilla was loose for 25 minutes before being shot with a tranquiliser.

Eyewitness Brad Evans, who has been allowed to leave the zoo, told BBC Radio London: “We were in the zoo for the day, having a cup of coffee in the main restaurant area when they locked us all in and said there was an incident.

“They gave us free teas and coffees and obviously we were asking what was going on and they told us that a gorilla had got out of its enclosure and that we weren’t allowed out of the park at half-five so we had to wait.

“As we were waiting we saw the police turning up in numbers with loads of guns.”

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London Zoo gorilla on the loose for 25 minutes sent panicked visitors hiding indoors