THE latest series of Monkey Life, documenting the daily dramas at the world's biggest primate rescue centre, has returned to television.

Fans of the show, now in its eleventh series, will be able to catch up on latest events at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre, near Wool.

Monkey Life follows Dr Alison Cronin and her team, as she rescues primates in need from around the world and rehabilitates them into groups of their own kind at the Dorset sanctuary.

A Monkey World spokesman explained: "The programme is one of the longest running docu-soaps on TV, as its former incarnation, Monkey Business first appeared on screens in 1998.

"Nicknamed by staff 'Beast-enders', the series won a place in the public’s hearts with its fascinating, and often tragic insight into monkey and ape rescues."

Series eleven follows Dr Cronin to Lebanon and Turkey to rescue two guenons, a baby loris and a chimpanzee - while back in Dorset it captures the day-to-day lives of around 260 primate residents at the park.

The spokesman added: "Filmed over a year, the series takes the viewer on an emotional rollercoaster, from the woolly monkey group celebrating new arrivals, to tense rescue operations, and the teams’ sad goodbyes to old friends too."

Last month the Echo reported on Natalie the chimpanzee, who had been rehomed at Monkey World after falling victim to the illegal wildlife trade years earlier.

Natalie had been smuggled from Africa and transported to Thailand.

She'd been under the care of the Department of National Parks Wildlife and Plant Conservation, living alone, since the Thai authorities seized her in 2003.

Dr Cronin said: "Wildlife trafficking is a global problem that needs addressing on an international scale."

Monkey Life series 11 will be shown on Freeview channel Pick at 6pm, every Sunday from November 11.