WHEN two-year-old Ruby Gartshore accidentally dropped a camera into Dudley Zoo's black bear enclosure, keepers snapped to it.

They rescued the camera and posted it out to Ruby's grateful grandmother, who has since sent a donation to buy treats for 38-year-old Inca as a thank you.

Senior keeper Sam Grove used the money to buy snacks - including kiwi fruit, pineapple, eggs, lemon curd and yogurt - for the Asiatic black bear, who is thought to be the oldest in the world.

The camera calamity happened when Gail Gartshore, from Northfield, was visiting the zoo with her son Lee, his partner Laura and their two girls Ruby and Rosie, who is nearly one.

Luckily no-one was hurt and the pink digital camera was retrieved from the bear paddock in full working order.

Mrs Gartshore said: “Ruby loves taking pictures and had been using my camera around the zoo.

"When I picked her up to show her the bear I didn’t realise she was still holding it and it fell out of her hands into the enclosure below.

“Lee called the zoo offices to report it and I was so grateful when I heard keepers would be able to get the camera for me once the bear was inside.

“It was very kind of staff to post out the camera to me and it’s working perfectly. The donation was a little token of my appreciation so staff could treat the bear to something nice. We had a wonderful day out at the zoo.”

The zoo's assistant curator Jay Haywood said: “We were happy to help and senior keeper Sarah Evans managed to get the camera out of the paddock when Inca was asleep in bed.

“Our receptionist posted it back to the family and it was very kind of them to send in the donation.”