The family who own Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo have described the moment a three-year-old boy was attacked by a crocodile as “one of the most distressing incidents in our history”.
The boy, from Cambridgeshire, entered the enclosure at the zoo near Huntingdon on 18 June – allegedly thrown in by a stranger. Tracey Johnson, 55, the zoo owner’s wife, pulled him to safety from the 15ft enclosure housing deadly animals. Her husband Andrew, 56, and son Edward, 29, also helped.
“Three-year-old boy rescued from crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo after being allegedly thrown in by stranger.”
Staff responded “within minutes of the first radio call”, the Johnsons said in a statement on social media. “Everyone who was on site that day acted with incredible speed and determination. Within minutes of the first radio call, the child had been rescued from the enclosure and was receiving first aid.” The emergency services arrived quickly, supported by the MAGPAS Air Ambulance.
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and later bailed until 18 September. Police said he was “assessed as not being fit for interview”. The suspect is believed to have learning disabilities and was on a trip to the zoo with carers. He is not believed to have known the child.
The boy remains in Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge in a stable condition, having undergone multiple surgeries. His family said: “We would like to thank the staff at the zoo who rescued our son from the enclosure… our attention remains focused on his recovery and supporting him through this extremely challenging and prolonged period of time.”
The Johnsons expressed “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”. They added: “We are immensely proud of our own staff, who responded without hesitation and did everything they could to help and support the child until the emergency services took over.”
The zoo, a family-run farm in Old Hurst, houses more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers and meerkats. Crocodilians first arrived in 2006; species now include broad snouted caiman, Nile crocodiles and American alligators.