'Zoo bear still at large' and 'Killer whale breaks trainer's nose' – The wild and wacky headlines that document Dudley Zoo's colourful past
'Zoo bear still at large', 'Monkey escapes from zoo at Dudley' and the story of 'Cuddles - the three ton killer whale' breaking his trainer's nose during an afternoon performance.
These are just some of the wild and wacky headlines that have emerged over the decades documenting the eventful history of Dudley Zoo & Castle.
Many may not realise that as they travel through Dudley town centre, that there was once housed at the castle and zoo nearby a killer whale called Cuddles, two adult polar bears and a huge gorilla called Bonzo.
But even more mind-blowing are some of the crazy escapades that have happened at the attraction over the years.
Keen historian and self-professed 'history influencer' Sarah Haywood, who works as a teaching assistant at Brierley Hill Primary School, has been researching the zoo's wildest headlines and shared her finds from the British Newspaper Archives with Express & Star readers.
The mum-of-two said: "I'd love to share some news articles with you regarding the animals of Dudley Zoo. These articles are from 1937 through to the 1970s."
'Zoo Bear still at large – hide and seek up a tree'
The zoo's early residents included Frankie and Johnny the polar bears, elephants, brown bears, tigers, lions, wolves and Teddy a Himalayan brown bear that was reported to have escaped twice.
Teddy's first escape was during her transportation to Dudley Zoo, where she burst out of the back of the van. She was later spotted up a tree in a Codsall garden. On her second escape, Teddy took herself on an adventure, scaling the walls of the zoo, plodding down Birmingham Road and into Bunns Lane.
An article, retrieved from the archives by Sarah, read: "The small brown bear which escaped last night from a cage on a lorry, near Albrighton, Shropshire, when it was being taken, with three others, to the recently opened Zoo at Dudley, was still at large today.
"During the night the animal was seen at Strawmore-lane, Kingswood, and a local resident who saw it thought it was a big black dog. It went through a hedge in a field and was later seen up a tree at Codsall village, five miles from Wolverhampton. It was thought that the searchers had it cornered but the bear eluded them and has not been seen since. Later the bear was seen on a railway embankment at Bilbrook, near Codsall and officials from Dudley zoo went to the spot in search of it ."
But Teddy wasn't the only mischievous animal to call Dudley home over the years.
'Monkey Escapes from zoo at Dudley'
A monkey was reported to have broken free, sneaking out of a door left open by workmen. The monkey made its way to the Priory. Housewives, as reported at the time, on Gervaise Drive spotted the cheeky fellow swinging on a gate and clambering over their verandas on his way to Priory Park.
An article at the time read: "A small monkey has the distinction of being the first of the animals to make a bid for liberty from the Dudley castle zoo, which is to be opened by the Earl of Dudley today.
"Taking advantage of the entrance of the workman to the monkey tree enclosure it shot through the open door, scampered down the castle hillside and scaled the fence. Housewives in Gervaise Drive had the shock of their lives when they saw him clambering their gates and swinging across their verandas on his way to priory park."
'Cuddles - the three ton killer whale'
In the 70s, Cuddles the killer whale was introduced to his new home at Dudley Zoo.
The zoo, by this point, had already captivated the public, setting the stage for the addition of many fascinating species we have seen over the years.
Newspaper advertisements read: "The 3-ton killer - Cuddles the great performing killer whale. See him and all the new animals in a day to remember at Dudley Zoo. Splash".
One memorable performance was documented in print: "Oh, what a kiss." The story of trainer Ray Lock, aged just 21, trying to kiss Cuddles - and ending up with a broken nose.
It read: "Oh, what a kiss. It was a bad break for trainer Ray Lock, 21, the day he tried to kiss Cuddles the killer whale. For cuddles broke his nose. It happened during their act at Dudley zoo, Never mind, though. They kissed and made up after."
