Park keeper killed by white tiger

An animal keeper was mauled to death by a rare white tiger at a wildlife park in New Zealand while visitors watched in horror, police said today.

The man was attacked after he and a colleague tried to clean the tiger's cage at Zion Wildlife Park near Whangarei on New Zealand's North Island.

The victim suffered serious injuries to his abdomen and lower legs and died shortly after the attack, before help could reach him. A police spokeswoman said: "Despite the best efforts of the second keeper and a rapid response from other wildlife park staff, the tiger would not let the park worker go, and he died at the scene. The tiger was destroyed by wildlife park staff."

Scottish teenager Lisa Baxter was scarred last year after she put her hands through a hole in a fence at the park and was bitten by a white lion.