A Marlborough family found a day out at Longleat Safari Park more scary than they expected when a tiger chewed through their car's bumper.

Roly Lockey, from Priest Acre, Fyfield, 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.

A close friend revealed that as they drove through the big game enclosure the family were excited when one of the famous white tigers came so close to the car that its fur almost touched the paintwork.

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

Mr Lockey, a groundsman, was reluctant to talk about the incident this week for fear of upsetting the safari park, to which he will be submitting a damages claim once the cost of repairing his new Skoda Octavia has been assessed.

The friend said: "He thought the tiger 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."

The teeth marks had completely pierced the plastic back bumper.

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

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

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.

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

"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."