A life-sized robot Tyrannosaurus rex was wiped out in a ball of flames after it was engulfed by fire at a dinosaur theme park.

Visitors to the Royal Gorge Dinosaur Experience in Colorado got more drama than they expected as they watched the animatronic beast burn.

“We knew he had a temper, but today he blew his top,” said the park’s owner Zach Reynolds.

The fire on Thursday morning is thought to have been caused by an electronic malfunction. The dinosaur smouldered for about 10 minutes before bursting into flames.

Visitors watched as the inferno spread through the 24-foot (7-metre) model, which appeared at times to be breathing flames.

The T-rex robot, designed to move and make sounds, was one of 16 dinosaurs that line the park’s Wild Walk exhibit.

It was completely destroyed after burning down to its steel frame but at least “made for some spectacular imagery along the way”, said Mr Reynolds.

He added: “There was an unfortunate and rare electrical issue with our mighty T-Rex and he is no longer. You might even say... extinct.”