A former worker at the zoo where a boy was allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure has called the zookeeper who “jumped 15ft” to save him “incredibly heroic”.
Cambridgeshire Police rushed to an incident at Johnson’s of Old Hurst zoo in Huntingdonshire on Thursday, where a three-year-old child was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Officers confirmed staff at the zoo pulled the young boy out of the enclosure.
A 30-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but has since been released on bail after being assessed as “not fit for interview”.
Chris Newman, who previously housed crocodiles at the zoo and knows the owner’s wife Tracey Johnson “very well”, said she carried out “a remarkable act of bravery”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I mean she’s absolutely a lovely lady and I think we should, recognise… her actions as being incredibly heroic. But frankly it’s nothing short I would expect of her, that’s exactly what she would do. She’s a very brave, very strong lady.”
Mr Newman said there was likely a “15ft drop” into the enclosure, praising Ms Johnson for her quick reaction.
“[Crocodiles] are reactionary animals, so if something was thrown into their enclosure, their immediate reaction if it landed close to them would be to snap and bite you,” he explained. “And that’s actually no different from your pet dog. If you’re talking to your dog when it’s asleep, it’s likely to snap.
“He actually would have, if he was thrown in, he would have landed on a concrete perimeter around the edge of the crocodile ponds, and for 15ft for a young child, that’s going to cause quite serious injuries. But if he did land near a crocodile, you would expect the crocodile to do an investigatory bite. That’s just the nature of that animal.”
It is currently unclear whether the child was bitten by the crocodile.
Locals told The Sun and the Press Association about Ms Johnson’s involvement but the family have not yet spoken publicly about what happened.
What happened?
Emergency services responded to reports that a three-year-old boy had ended up in the crocodile enclosure at Johnson’s of Old Hurst zoo around 1.24pm on Thursday.
An ambulance, a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance officer vehicle and an air ambulance attended the scene.
According to The Sun, the boy suffered a broken arm and pelvis. He was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries and is critical but stable, and specially trained officers are at the hospital supporting the boy’s family.
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, and police said the man and the child did not know each other. He was released on bail until 18 September while detectives from the major crime unit conduct further enquiries.
The man was assessed by police as not being fit for interview.
What do we know about Johnson’s of Old Hurst?
Johnson’s of Old Hurst in Huntingdon started as a family-owned dairy farm, according to the website, as the family has over a century of experience farming in Old Hurst, Cambridgeshire.
It has since grown to include a butcher’s, farm shop, tea room, steakhouse, and a zoo. The zoological gardens are home to more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers, bears and crocodiles. The zoo specialises in conservation for crocodiles with two decades of experience caring for the reptiles.
Andy Johnson, owner of the zoo, participated in composing a European-published dossier on the farming, welfare and husbandry of crocodilians, according to the website.
What have police said?
Detective inspector Verity McCann said: “Our enquiries are ongoing as we continue to understand the circumstances surrounding this distressing incident.
“Our thoughts remain with the boy, and his family and specialist officers continue to support them through this difficult time.”
What has the zoo said?
In a statement on social media, Johnson’s said that “out of respect to the family”, the tropical house – home to the crocodiles – will remain closed until further notice.
They added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following the incident that occurred today.”
