Tiger kills girl in Chinese zoo

A tiger in a Chinese zoo has killed a six-year-old girl who was waiting to have her picture taken with the animal, according to state media.

The zoo charges around £1 for tourists to have their photo taken with the tiger and the young girl was standing behind the animal with her mother.

Four other relatives were close by when the accident happened yesterday at 14:30 local time.

Xinhua news agency reported that when cameras flashed in front of the tiger, it turned around and bit the child on the head.

It then attacked the child's mother when she tried to help her daughter, before animal trainers hit the tiger with sticks and took the girl away.

The child was the rushed to hospital for an emergency operation but died.

Zoo officials told the state media agency that a circus, which owns a total of six tigers, was visiting the zoo with the animals.

The circus show has now been suspended.