A bear has been shot dead after it killed a goat, broke into a school and then took “several naps” in a Romanian community, authorities have said.

The brown bear scared residents after it entered a garden in the county of Harghita before snatching, killing and eating a goat, according to police.

The animal then scaled a high fence to enter the school, which was empty at the time because of the summer holidays.

Local government official Sandor Petres told the Mediafax news agency: “The bear killed and ate a goat and had several naps. We couldn’t get rid of him.”

After several hours, officials manoeuvered the bear into a secluded area and shot it.

Mr Petres said authorities were unable to locate someone to tranquilise the bear.

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The incident took place a day after two zookeepers were mauled by a bear in the nearby city of Brasov after they had entered a cage at a zoo occupied by two female bears and a cub.

Local authorities said the keepers had not respected safety procedures and should have removed the animals before entering the cage.

The two zookeepers received multiple injuries and one is in a serious condition, local media reported.

There are believed to be more than 6,000 brown bears in Romania, and a string of violent encounters with humans in recent years have led to calls for a cull, according to reports.