Lion tears off arm of British woman who tried to pet it

A BRITISH woman whose arm was bitten off by a lion when she reached through the bars of an enclosure at an animal sanctuary in Spain was last night recovering from emergency surgery.

Anne Richards, 54, from Neath, south Wales, had attempted to pet one of the big cats when she was pounced on by a lioness called Marta who tore off her arm from the elbow.

Within minutes, the remaining pack of lions had surrounded the limb rendering any rescue attempt impossible.