Britain's Tiger King rushed to hospital after he's mauled by 13st puma

Britain's own Tiger King, Terrence Moore, was attacked by a puma at The Cat Survival Trust in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, on Tuesday - the animal took a chunk out of his leg

Britain's own Tiger King has been rushed to hospital after he was mauled by a 13st puma at his own sanctuary.

Terrence Moore, 78, was attacked by the huge beast at The Cat Survival Trust in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, on Tuesday afternoon. The animal took a chunk out of the man's leg before police were called to the £3million. Officers were able to free Mr Moore from the puma's cage without killing the animal - and he was then airlifted to hospital for life-saving treatment. It is understood he continues to receive treatment in hospital as feline bites come with a high risk of infection.

A friend of Mr Moore told The Sun: "I just can't believe Terrence was bitten. He loves those cats and they love him. Even though he is used to them he must have been terrified. It's a miracle he has survived. That could have gone very, very wrong.

"He is so careful and methodical - he has been doing this for decades. Perhaps it's the stress of having to get rid of the cats that has made him slip up. They are his family. He would have them round the dining table at Christmas as cubs. For him and his wife it will be like giving away their children."

The attack comes just four months after Mr Moore, who previously starred on ITV's Paul O'Grady Show and on Animal Planet's Snow Leopards of Leafy London, was fined £14,000 and banned from keeping big cats. Mr Moore was selling sanctuary visits despite not having a licence for the rundown centre. His run-down, five-acre estate was also deemed unsuitable to keep his wildlife and Moore was convinced of neglect.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said: "Police were called to Codicote Road, Welwyn, at 4.04pm on Tuesday 5 November, following reports of a medical emergency. Officers attended the scene alongside colleagues from the ambulance service.

"The incident involved a man and a big cat that is caged on site. The man, in his 70s, was transported to hospital via air ambulance with serious injuries and has received specialist treatment. He remains in a stable condition. The scene was quickly contained and there is no wider threat to the public."

The Cat Survival Trust is a registered charity and its website says it is "based on a twelve-acre site in Hertfordshire, England, where a small band of unpaid staff manage its affairs in an overcrowded office above a shop (which sells mainly animal foodstuffs and accessories) and also care for the cats, maintain the site and buildings and do most of the construction work."