A NOTORIOUS group of Merseyside vandals are to appear in their own show on primetime television. Knowsley Safari Park’s famous baboons are to be the stars of the attraction’s major new television advertising campaign which gets its first airing on Granada tomorrow.

The spectacular new advertisement shows what happens when a military vehicle is used to try to get the better of the inhabitants of the monkey jungle.

Predictably, the armoured personnel carrier is trashed by the 120-strong troop of baboons, and the soldiers inside are forced to abandon their mission and evacuate the vehicle as it is stripped by the mischievous primates.

However, the advert also points out that – much to the baboons’ annoyance – the park also now offers an alternative car-friendly route around the outside of the monkey enclosure.

This route still gives families a very good view of the baboons, but without the risk of them jumping on their vehicles.

The sign-off line at the end of the new advert is: “The monkey jungle at Knowsley – drive it if you dare.”

Park bosses have unveiled plans to use this slogan on a new range of merchandise, including car stickers and badges. Other slogans to be featured will include “We dared - We survived” and “We’ve been babooned.”

David Ross, safari park general manager, said: “Surveys consistently show that, of all our exhibits, the baboons are seen by visitors as having the biggest wow factor.

“Despite the fact that they’re not averse to helping themselves to windscreen wiper blades or aerials, the baboons regularly poll more than twice the votes of any other animal.

“In addition, there are now very few monkey jungles still operating in the UK, so we’re offering a unique experience in this region.

“That’s why we decided to play to our strengths and make the baboons the stars of the new campaign, featuring their antics in an unusual and humorous way in the commercial. We’re very pleased with the results.”

The Safari Park chief also pointed out that the car-friendly route message is a very important element of the new campaign:

“The baboons have always been great fun but for many years we were aware that some people were wary of visiting the park because of them, especially families with expensive cars, classic cars or company vehicles. That’s why the alternative route was created.

“For the first time ever, the new commercial will help us to get the message across on TV that visitors have a choice of routes through the monkey jungle.”

Knowsley Safari Park is currently riding high in popularity, having recorded its fourth record season in a row in 2007.

The park welcomed 523,000 people in the 12 months to the end of December, the best annual figure since 1972, the first full year it was open for business.