A Chinese woman was kept in a filthy shed and 'treated like an animal' after her parents locked her up because they did not approve of her boyfriend, it has been claimed.

Zhang Qi, 24, was allegedly forced into the dilapidated building in Jingang in central China's Hubei province, after her mother and father ordered her to split up with her lover in 2009.

Despite being told the relationship was over, she tried several times to run away - but her parents told everybody she was mentally ill and being locked up for her own protection, a villager said.

Zhang Qi (pictured) was kept in a filthy shed and 'treated like an animal' after her parents locked her up because they did not approve of her boyfriend, it has been claimed

The 24-year-old was allegedly forced into the dilapidated building (pictured) in Jingang in central China's Hubei province, after her mother and father ordered her to split up with her lover in 2009

Chow Jen, 50, said: 'Her parents are powerful people here and everyone was told not to interfere.

'Everyone knew about the girl in the house. I moved away and only come back to visit occasionally so I don't care about their threats, and that's why I was happy to expose these pictures online after the local authorities refused to do anything.'

He said they had claimed that she was mentally unstable and locking her up was for her own good - and that villagers then forced themselves into pretending it was not their business.

There has been no official comment on the claims or on the current status of the young woman since the images were posted.

Villager Chow Jen said she visited Zhang Qi and found her lying on a pile of straw before posting pictures online

But many copies have been removed by Chinese censors without reason being specified, it has been reported.

Chow Jen said: 'Every time I came back for Chinese New Year I went to visit her secretly.

'On my latest visit though I saw her lying on a pile of straw with a couple of blankets and some food around her and I just decided enough was enough.