Apes launched a terrifying attack on a Staffordshire family on the Rock of Gibraltar leaving them needing hospital treatment.

Kim and Joe Castro, of Hobby Way, Heath Hayes, Cannock, feared for their lives and those of their children, Sam, aged three and Jack, six, as they fought off half a dozen rampaging apes on steep steps near the top of the rock.

Their ordeal happened while on holiday in Spain. The family visited Gibraltar last Thursday and decided to have a look at the apes.

The apes are one of Gibraltar’s main tourist attractions.

But as they made their way towards the cable car at the summit in order to return to the bottom they were suddenly set upon.

Kim, aged 37, a legal assistant said: “Joe was in front with Sam and was a bit further back with Jack. We were aware of all the advice about not to goad or feed the monkeys and the ones we had seen earlier were fine.

“We were just walking past this group, being quiet, not paying them any attention when one of them launched itself at Joe.

“The ape was going crazy and Joe was trying to protect Sam, who was hysterical, as well as himself and this set the others off.”

She added: “There were about five or six of them and they were extremely strong. I was afraid for our lives both from the attack and the steep drop.”

Lorry driver Joe, aged 36, suffered a bite to the head, while Kim sustained severe bruising and cuts. While they managed to save Sam, who attends Stepping Stones Day Nursery, from injury, Jack, a Gorsemoor Primary School pupil had a chunk bitten out of his arm.

Kim said: “We kept our heads down and retreated. They eventually backed off.

“There was a lot of blood. It was very distressing.”

She was worried about rabies but was told by a vet that the apes had been vaccinated. The family were taken to hospital.

Kim said: “Jack’s wound was too wide to stitch, so they bandaged it up. The surgeon said he would be scarred for life.”

The family returned home yesterday.