King Kong! Photographer's optical illusion captures gigantic baboon crushing a car

The gigantic baboon bears down on the packed car, angrily pounding his clenched furry fist on the roof.

A scene from a spin-off version of King Kong, perhaps?

Or worrying evidence that mutant monkeys are on the loose in Britain? Well, no...

Thankfully, the image is simply an optical illusion.

Crushing: The huge baboon appears to use its giant arm to pound down on the car in front as it stalks around - but it is fact an optical illusion

It was taken at Knowsley Safari Park, in Merseyside, and the baboon was perched on the windscreen of photographer Chez Owen’s car with its arm out.

Split-second timing and the angle of the shot make it seem many times bigger than it is.

Mr Owen 34, was at the safari park with his wife, Alison, 33, when the amazing photograph was taken.

Happy snapper: Chez Owen, who took the photo on the safari with his family, said he 'couldn't believe his eyes' when he saw the picture

Damage: The wing mirror cover of the family's car was ripped off by the baboons and they also scratched the paintwork

The schoolteacher, from Barrow Ford, Lancashire, said: ‘I couldn’t believe my eyes when I reviewed the picture.

‘I’d only intended to get a snap of it on the car but when you look at it for the first time it actually looks like this king kong like baboon is about to crush the car in front.’