Tiger 'in a bad mood because it had worked ten days on a row' pounces on trainer in live circus show

A circus trainer in China has been attacked during a live performance at a theatre by a tiger. Videos from the circus emerged as fans screamed in horror at the scene.

The tiger was in a large cage when it pounced on the trainer and dragged them around the stage.

Other trainers and circus staff were forced to rush onto the stage and beat the tiger with long sticks until they could pull the trainer to safety.

The trainer sustained injuries but they weren't thought to be life-threatening.

The Liaoshen Evening Post reported that the incident happened during a live show at the Liaohe Grand Theatre in Yingkou, Liaoning Province to the east of Beijing.

The show, which took place on 20 August, was being watched by hundreds of people.

The theatre claimed that the tiger had been in a "bad mood" that day after performing for ten successive days.

The trainer told the Liaoshen Evening Post: "I spent jut a week training Teddy [the tiger] before it could perform on stage."

An official from PETA said :"Lifelong stress often drive animals in circus breakdown and become dangerous to both trainers and visitors.

"PETA Asia is calling on people not to attend animal circuses, whether at home or while travelling in China or elsewhere around the world."