The 8ft statue was nabbed from outside Reynard's Nursery in May last year and the search for him went viral - and while Gary has now returned home, the Lanarkshire garden centre says he's only half the gorilla he once was.

Half of a beloved Lanarkshire garden centre’s mascot named Gary the gorilla has returned home after 10 months.

The 8ft statue was nabbed from from his home outside Reynard’s Nursery near Carluke in May last year. CCTV footage showed brazen crooks unbolting the huge fibreglass mascot before fleeing the scene with it in the back of a van.

At the time the owners were desperate for Gary to be returned and they have now partially got their wish.

On March 21, they received a message stating that the rear half of the silverback was discovered on the A92 between Dundee and Arbroath.

Gary’s back has now been returned home, however, the search for the rest of the gorilla still continues.

In a TikTok posted on the centre’s account, staff stated that they “have Gary’s ‘back’ back” but they needed more help to solve the ‘monkey puzzle’.