The victim, in his forties and identified by his surname Zhang, had been visiting the Youngor Zoo in Ningbo City, in East China’s Zhejiang Province, with family and friends.

Horrific mobile phone footage which has gone viral on Chinese social media, and which was later removed because of its graphic nature, shows Zhang being dragged around by the Siberian tiger.

Other big cats also surround Zhang as he tries to fight them off by kicking out with his foot, but the animals refuse to leave, with one biting down on his neck.

At the end of the clip, Zhang is dragged under the trees while employees at the wildlife park try to scare the cats away using firecrackers.

Ningbo City officials have confirmed that Zhang and one of his friends, surnamed Li, climbed the zoo’s 3-metre outer fence in order to avoid paying for the 130-RMB (£15) ticket.

The pair’s wives and children, however, did purchase tickets and entered the park legally, reports said.