A family was left with nowhere to run when their car caught fire - in the lion enclosure at Longleat Safari Park.
Rangers managed to rescue a woman and two children from the vehicle before it burst into flames.
Visitor George Lear, who saw the drama unfold, said: "The lions just kept their distance and didn't take their eyes off the fire and smoke.
"The rangers were pushing them back but they were reluctant on moving away as they looked interested."
Mr Lear said: "The car slowly caught fire and then the whole thing went up leaving the place filled with black smoke."
Also in the enclosure on Friday afternoon was Gabrielle Owen, from Newport, who said the car burst into flames incredibly quickly and it could have been a "horrific story".
She praised the rangers at the Wiltshire attraction, who she said "were incredibly fast at dealing with the incident".
Kevin Ashley, from the safari park, said the lions were cleared from the enclosure and the park was closed.
He said the fire was put out quickly and no visitors or animals were hurt.
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Catch a fire
Catch a fire
doing it in style...
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: Catch a fire
The smartest thing to do in that situation is stay right next to the burning car...
The lions may have been fascinated by it, but they wouldn't have gone near it...
The lions may have been fascinated by it, but they wouldn't have gone near it...



- MajGenl.Meade
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Re: Catch a fire
S'mores!
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts
- MajGenl.Meade
- Posts: 21506
- Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 8:51 am
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Re: Catch a fire
Lord Jim wrote:The smartest thing to do in that situation is stay right next to the burning car...
The lions may have been fascinated by it, but they wouldn't have gone near it...
Lion know - car go "boom"!
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts

