Jackson 'wants to ride elephant on stage'

Michael Jackson has reportedly decided that he wants to ride an elephant on stage at his upcoming London concerts.

According to The Mirror, the 'Thriller' star has asked organisers of his 50-date residency at the O2 arena to provide a panther, snakes, tropical birds and three monkeys to complement his planned jungle theme.

"He hopes to make it the most spectacular gig ever. For the jungle section, he wants to ride out on an African elephant with panthers led on gold chains. Parrots and other birds will fly behind him. If it goes to plan it will look incredible," explained a source.

The 50-year-old singer is also hoping to convince 100 Masai warriors to travel to the capital and take part in his shows.

However, insiders have suggested that Jackson's managers are unhappy with the proposals in light of the additional costs involved. They are also said to be worried about breaching animal welfare laws which ban the use of non-domestic animals on stage.

Earlier this week, it was reported that the musician had invited the Harry Potter cast to the opening night of his tour and was planning to arrive at the East London venue by boat.