THE Skoda may be the butt of many jokes, but one of Longleat's tigers clearly has a taste for the vehicle literally.

A north Wiltshire visitor is having the damage to his car assessed after one of the safari park's famous white tigers bit right through the rear bumper, giving a whole new twist to the adage about grabbing a tiger by the tail.

The family inside were unaware the beast was chewing the bumper of their new Skoda Octoavia so hard its teeth had gone right through the plastic.

Driver Roly Lockey, of Fyfield, near Marlborough, took his wife Helen and daughter Amy, six, plus a couple of other relatives for a day out at Lord Bath's Longleat estate last Wednesday.

As they drove through the safari park enclosures everyone was excited when one of the big white tigers walked by so close that its bristling fur almost rubbed the paintwork of the new Skoda.

As the tiger passed the back of the Skoda Mr Lockey felt something touch the car but, he told friends, he presumed the tiger's swishing tail had caught the rear corner.

However after leaving the big game enclosures and checking his car, Mr Lockey was surprised to find teeth marks which had completely pierced the plastic back bumper.

He was unhappy because while there are plenty of notices warning visitors that the chimps in the monkey park can cause damage, there are no signs warning that the big cats have a taste for car bodywork and trim.

Mr Lockey was reluctant to talk about the incident, but a close friend said: "He thought it had gone round the back and that its tail had clipped the back of the car. It wasn't until they were having a picnic some time later that he noticed the bite marks.

"Longleat have told him to go and get some quotes for the damage and they will put the cost of repairs through their insurers."

Longleat spokeswoman Florence Wallace said this week that the tigers have been known occasionally to target vehicles but usually picked on the safari park wardens' four wheel drive cars.

She said: "The tigers have been known to do this but they tend to do it more with the staff vehicles than with visitors' cars.

"If the person gets two or three quotes for repairs it will be at the discretion of our head warden Keith Harris whether Longleat will pay."