Animal welfare officers rescued a marmoset monkey after it was found abandoned inside a laundry bag on a bus in northwest London.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) said that a driver on route 302 discovered the female monkey as soon as the bus arrived in Kensal Rise on Friday morning.

A passenger with a pushchair could not complete her journey because a bag was blocking the luggage area. When the driver moved the bag, the monkey began screaming loudly and jumping inside.

The BBC quoted a spokesperson for the charity as saying the marmoset was confined inside a small metal birdcage wrapped in a checked plastic bag, and left with a small piece of apple, but it was severely stressed and dehydrated.

"Clearly a deliberate act"

The driver took the animal to the Metroline depot in Willesden before contacting the RSPCA.

The monkey has since been named "Oyster", after London's famous travel card.

The charity fears this abandonment could be the first of many, following new legislation in April that requires all primates kept as pets in England to be licensed.

The RSPCA's chief inspector in London, Claire Dew, said: "No one noticed anything unusual on the bus before the monkey was discovered, but we will review CCTV and entry and exit logs to see if we can identify the person who left it."

She added: "This was clearly a deliberate act, and it is a direct result of the new legislation, something we feared would happen. I would be surprised if this is the last monkey we see discarded in this way."

After undergoing a full medical examination by a vet, "Oyster" received a clean bill of health, and is now being transferred to a private sanctuary, where it will be introduced to a male of the same species.

The RSPCA urges people who are struggling to care for their pets or unable to obtain the necessary licenses not to abandon them, but to seek advice and support from vets or animal charities.