by Website Editor, 3 July 2012

Edinburgh Zoo's pandas have finally reached the pinnacle of Scottish culture - they have been honoured with an appearance in 'The Beano'.

Tian Tian and Yang Guang are "cover stars" alongside the famous 'Beano' characters Dennis the Menace and Gnasher, who pay a visit to the zoo and use the pandas to play tricks on their sworn enemy "Walter the Softy".

Mike Stirling, Editor in Chief at the Beano, told The Evening News, "our giant panda pals were happy to pose for The Beano’s artists and actually turned out to be giant pranksters, sharing a few wild, menacing tricks of their own".

The special issue of the comic also included a competition for a VIP visit to meet the pandas, and is being given away free to young visitors to the zoo.

Your Website Editor - who enjoyed 'The Beano' regularly in the, cough, 1960s - also liked the photo of a penguin asking "why do pandas wear fur coats ?", while a panda replies "because we'd look silly in denim jackets !"