Zoo Owners Call Crocodile Attack on Boy 'Distressing Incident'

The family who own a zoo where a three-year-old boy was seriously injured after ending up in a crocodile enclosure said it was "one of the most distressing incidents in our history".

The boy was attacked by at least one crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on 18 June.

The Johnsons, who own the site, said staff responded to the incident "within minutes of the first radio call", and the child was rescued shortly afterwards and given first aid.

Police have arrested and bailed a 30-year-old man, from Norfolk, on suspicion of attempted murder.

The Johnsons said in a statement on social media: "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 and immediate actions made a real difference."

The boy, who is from Cambridgeshire, was visiting the zoo with his family and was seriously injured "while in the enclosure", Cambridgeshire Police previously said.

The Johnsons said they had received an "overwhelming" amount of kindness from the "local community and from people across the country".

"We are immensely proud of our own staff, who responded without hesitation and did everything they could to help and support the child until emergency services took over," they added.

Chris Newman, the director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, previously told the BBC that three members of the Johnson family had entered the enclosure.