Former Hollyoaks actress Gemma Atkinson has adopted a chimpanzee called Bryan after it was rescued from an abusive owner in Mexico.

Atkinson and her boyfriend Marcus Bent, 30, a footballer with Wigan Athletic, visited the chimpanzee at Monkey World near Wool, Dorset, for the first time yesterday.

Bryan, who is five, was rescued from the Mexican beach resort of Cancun last year. He was being trained as a beach photographer’s prop, his teeth had been knocked out to stop him biting tourists and he was regularly beaten.

The 23-year-old actress, who took part in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, contacted staff at Monkey World last month after watching the plight of monkeys at the Dorset wildlife park on television.

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