Rare animal attacked three members of staff before being tranquilised at zoo in northern city of Liberec

A rare white tiger has attacked three employees in a Czech zoo after escaping from its enclosure.

Lenka Markovicova, spokeswoman for the rescuers in the northern city of Liberec, said one man was taken to hospital with head injuries that were not life-threatening. Two women suffered minor injuries and were also being treated in hospital.

Zoo spokesman Ivan Langr said the tiger, named Paris, had been tranquilised and posed no further danger. He said the zoo's employees were shocked and that it was not immediately clear who was to blame for the escape.

Liberec Zoo is the only zoo in the Czech Republic that has white tigers, which are the result of both parents having a recessive gene. They are rare in the wild because they stand out in the jungle, hindering their efforts to catch prey.