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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Tom Jeffreys

Crocodile attraction where boy, three, was seriously injured reopens to public

Police at Johnson’s of Old Hurst after a three-year-old boy ended up in a crocodile enclosure at the zoo (Joe Giddens/PA) - (PA Wire)

The crocodile enclosure where a three-year-old boy was seriously injured after being attacked by at least one of the reptiles has reopened to the public.

Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo in Huntingdon confirmed in a post on social media that its “whole site will be fully open” on Saturday, nine days after a child was hurt in the crocodile pit.

In the post dated June 27, it said: “Public announcement. As of this weekend, our whole site will be fully open, thank you.”

A spokesperson for the zoo confirmed to Press Association this included the crocodile attraction.

Fans of the zoo posted on Instagram they were pleased it had now fully reopened after the Tropical House, containing the crocodile enclosure, was closed following the incident on June 18.

One said: “Brilliant, and well done to all involved with the recent event.”

The boy, from Cambridgeshire, who is now in a stable condition in hospital, was allegedly thrown into the pit and attacked by at least one crocodile.

He was taken to hospital, where he was initially described as being in a critical condition.

Police at Johnson’s of Old Hurst after a boy was allegedly thrown into the crocodile pit (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)
Police at Johnson’s of Old Hurst after a boy was allegedly thrown into the crocodile pit (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)

A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but later bailed after he was “assessed as not being fit for interview”, Cambridgeshire Police said.

The suspect reportedly has learning difficulties and had been on a trip with carers.

The boy was said to have sustained “serious injuries” in the enclosure but was reportedly saved by Tracey Johnson, the zoo owner’s wife, who jumped into the pit to save him.

Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched after the medical records of the boy were accessed by around 40 members of hospital staff.

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) has referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and is investigating whether all the workers had a legitimate reason for looking at his information.

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