Zoo helper killed by leopard

A leopard attacked and killed a zoo helper who was cleaning its cage in the eastern German city of Chemnitz today, police said.

The 23-year-old, who had been working at the zoo for more than a year, was found dead by the zoo director just after 9am (8am Irish Time) from a bite to the neck.

A door between the stall and an outdoor cage for the Persian leopard had apparently been errantly left open, police spokeswoman Jana Kindt said, without giving further detail.

The zoo was closed following the incident, and was to remain closed tomorrow, she said.