Incident Overview
The family that owns Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, has described the attack on a three-year-old boy by a crocodile as "one of the most distressing incidents in our history." The incident occurred on 18 June when the boy ended up inside a crocodile enclosure and was seriously injured.
Response and Rescue
The Johnson family stated that their staff responded "within minutes of the first radio call," and the child was rescued shortly thereafter and provided with first aid. The boy, who is from Cambridgeshire, was visiting the zoo with his family at the time of the attack.
Police Investigation
Authorities have arrested and bailed a 30-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the incident.
Statements of Gratitude
The Johnsons expressed their appreciation to visitors who assisted during the emergency, including off-duty paramedics and police officers. In a social media statement, they said:
"We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to the visitors who stepped forward to help, including off-duty paramedics and police officers, whose calm an immediate actions made a real difference."
Official Comments
Cambridgeshire Police confirmed that the boy was seriously injured "while in the enclosure." The zoo and police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the event.
Ongoing Coverage
This is a developing story, and further details will be published as they become available. Readers are encouraged to refresh the page for the latest updates.
For continuous breaking news updates, users can access the App on smartphones or tablets or follow @BBCBreaking on X for real-time alerts.
