A chimpanzee creates a ladder from a tree branch to escape the Belfast Zoo.

A smart chimpanzee today used a broken tree branch from a storm to escape from his enclosure at the Belfast Zoo.

One could see the chimpanzee strolling through the zoo, but he was quickly sent back to his paddock after a member of the public rang the zoo to inform him that he had escaped .

Chanel Baxter of Larne, Northern Ireland, managed to capture the chimpanzee video during his adventure.

She told Belfast Live: "We had a little more than we had planned at the Belfast Zoo today, as we were greeted by a chimpanzee who had escaped from the city of Belfast. pregnant and walking in the zoo.

"It's fair to say we got our money's worth!

"We did not feel any danger, but the children were a little shocked. We called the zoo itself to inform them, then headed straight for the exit.

The Belfast Zoo said the chimpanzee made an improvised ladder from a large tree branch leaning against a wall.

The Belfast City Council, which runs the zoo, said that a chimpanzee had "briefly" left his enclosure.

A spokesman said: "A chimpanzee this afternoon used a broken branch of a tree to briefly leave his enclosure at the Belfast Zoo." Zoo keepers were present as the chimp was quickly dismissed from the farm. 39, a wall adjacent to the rest of the group inside the enclosure.

"The staff is currently badessing how the chimpanzee has planned its evacuation of the enclosure, which is being badessed for damage caused by storm and loose debris as a result of strong winds in the night and until Saturday.

"The Belfast Zoo would like to thank the members of the public who helped sound the alarm when zookeepers arrived to bring the animal back to its pen."

Zoo director Alan Cairns told the BBC: "We think the trees in their pens were weakened by the storm, so they were able to break them and use them as a ladder to get out.

"We like things to be natural in their pens, that they contain trees, but we will review them.

"We may have to remove the trees or reduce them, although we do not want to do it."

Last month, a red panda disappeared from the zoo before being discovered by a man in his driveway.