Wildlife park remains closed after fatal tiger attack

Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed after a man climbed into a tiger enclosure and was fatally attacked.

Police and the ambulance service were called to the park near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, at about 13:30 BST on Saturday after reports of a man climbing down into the enclosure from a walkway.

An eyewitness described seeing the man wearing headphones and "pacing around" near the enclosure before he went in and was attacked. Police said the man sadly died at the scene.

A park spokesperson said their "thoughts and heartfelt sympathies" remain with the man's family and confirmed the Amur tiger called Altai remained in the enclosure and would not be euthanised as a result of the incident.

Staff who were at the scene who were "deeply affected by events" would receive specialist support, they added.

South Yorkshire Police said the man's family were being supported by officers. "Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time," the force said in a statement.

It added: "We are aware of videos circulating online and we would encourage people not to share this footage."

Earlier on Saturday, in a statement posted on its website, the park said its emergency response procedures had been "immediately activated" and it was "working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened".

Ella Ford, 24, from Moreton, Wirral, had visited the park with her boyfriend and filmed the tiger moments before the attack.

She described seeing a man by the tiger enclosure "pacing around with his headphones in".

A few minutes later, she saw the same man had "climbed up onto the barriers".

A woman was close by talking to him, she said, before "he jumped in and crawled in front of the tiger, where the tiger was perched and just lay there".

Ford said she then witnessed the tiger grab hold of the man, who she reported as "shouting for help".

She estimates around 15 to 20 people were on the enclosure's raised visitor walkway before staff quickly evacuated the area, and shortly afterwards, the park.

She described members of the public as being "confused, like what on earth's going on?"

"I just know some man was obviously trying to bang on the fence to try and deter the tiger away, but it obviously wasn't doing anything," she said.

Karmelle Pelham, 39, from Worksop, had been enjoying a family day out when park staff told them the site was being evacuated.

She said she had heard what sounded like "gunshots" and an air ambulance had circled above.

Pelham added: "There was a big, black tarpaulin over the tiger enclosure."

She praised park staff for their handling of the incident, saying it had been "very, very well organised".

Foreign Secretary and MP for Doncaster North Ed Miliband said he was "deeply saddened" to hear of the incident and sent his "thoughts and deepest condolences to the family of the individual who died."

He added he was "very grateful to the emergency services and staff of the park who responded."

Lee Pitcher, MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, expressed his gratitude to emergency services for their response.

In a statement shared to social media, he said he was "deeply saddened to hear about the tragic incident that has taken place at Yorkshire Wildlife Park today".

"I understand that support is being made available for those who need it.

"As ever, I offer my heartfelt thanks to the emergency services for their speed and professionalism, and I know I speak for everyone in Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme when I say our thoughts are with all of those affected by today's events."

Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009, with its Land of the Tigers area opening in 2011.

The purpose-built two-acre reserve is home to Amur tigers, an endangered subspecies with around 500 left in the wild.

Photos of the enclosure on the park's website shows a high walkway for visitors and fencing above the section where the tigers can roam.