Yorkshire Wildlife Park stays closed after fatal tiger attack

Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England, is still shut after a man got into a tiger enclosure on Saturday and was killed. Police and ambulance crews were called at about 13:30 BST after reports that a man had climbed down into the enclosure from a visitor walkway. Police confirmed he died at the scene.

Statements from the park and police

A park spokesperson expressed sympathy for the man's family and said the Amur tiger called Altai would stay in the enclosure and would not be put down. Staff who were at the scene and were deeply affected will be offered specialist support. Earlier on Saturday, the park said on its website that its emergency procedures had been activated immediately and that it was working with the authorities to establish exactly what happened.

South Yorkshire Police said officers were supporting the man's family. The force also noted that videos of the incident were circulating online and urged people not to share them.

Eyewitness accounts

Ella Ford, 24, from Moreton on the Wirral, visited the park with her boyfriend and filmed the tiger moments before the attack. She said a man wearing headphones was pacing near the enclosure, and a few minutes later he had climbed onto the barriers while a woman nearby spoke to him. According to Ford, he then jumped in, crawled in front of the tiger and lay down. The tiger grabbed him and he shouted for help. Someone tried to deter the animal by banging on the fence, without effect.

Ford estimated that 15 to 20 people were on the raised walkway before staff quickly cleared the area and then the whole park.

Karmelle Pelham, 39, from Worksop, was on a family day out. She said she heard what sounded like gunshots and saw an air ambulance circling overhead. She added that a large black tarpaulin had been placed over the enclosure, and she praised the staff for handling the situation well.

Political reaction

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, MP for Doncaster North, said he was deeply saddened and sent condolences to the man's family, thanking the emergency services and park staff. Lee Pitcher, MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, also thanked the emergency services.

The park opened in 2009, and its Land of the Tigers area in 2011. The two-acre reserve houses Amur tigers, an endangered subspecies with around 500 left in the wild.