Tiger shot in Paris after roaming streets Published duration 24 November 2017

image caption It is not yet clear how the tiger escaped from the circus (archive pic)

A tiger broke out of a circus in central Paris and roamed streets just south of the Eiffel Tower before its circus handlers shot and killed it.

Nobody was hurt by the 200kg (31-stone) tiger, according to local reports.

Tram traffic was suspended in the area. Residents called the emergency services when they spotted the animal on the run just before 18:00 (17:00 GMT).

"It was a very big tiger," a witness called Ralph told Le Parisien website. "We heard two or three shots and saw police going down towards the tracks."

The tiger was killed in an alley, a fire service spokesman said.

Its owner, who brought the animal down with a shotgun, has been taken into custody, AFP news agency reports citing a police source. Police have opened an investigation.

The Bormann Moreno circus recently set up in Paris and planned to start holding shows from 3 December.

image copyright AFP image caption The tiger was shot by its handler