Tiger assault witness relives horror – ‘I attempted to look away however I could not’
WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: Ella Ford, 24, from Moreton, was visiting Yorkshire Wildlife Park with her boyfriend when she witnessed William Chapman enter the tiger enclosure within seconds
Ella Ford witnessed William Chapman enter the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (Image: Submitted)
A woman has recounted the horrifying moment she witnessed a man climb into a tiger enclosure before being fatally mauled. Ella Ford, 24, from Moreton, was visiting Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster with her partner.
She watched as William Chapman entered the tiger habitat on Saturday afternoon (October 10). Ella, who had been observing the tigers, said she’d spotted Chapman walking in circles on the raised walkway above the enclosure, wearing headphones and seeming “happy”.
She told the Liverpool Echo : “I only noticed him because he was pacing around. Other than that, I wouldn’t have noticed anything out of the ordinary.
William Chapman’s family paid tribute to their ‘amazing son’(Image: Family Handout/PA Wire)
“I had a look around and I didn’t see anyone with him. I just assumed his family were further down the bridge and he was waiting for them or something.”
Ella said she and her partner moved along the walkway to observe another tiger before spotting Chapman scaling a wooden fence.
She said: “He stayed for a minute or so. My first thought was that he was trying to get a closer look at the tiger. I never thought he would try and go in. I tapped my partner and was like, ‘What’s going on?'”.
Ella Ford was visiting the park with her partner (Image: Submitted)
Within seconds, Ella said Chapman dropped into the enclosure and crawled towards a tiger lying close by. She said her partner witnessed Chapman pull out his mobile phone and approach the creature.
Ella described how the incident unfolded with frightening speed, as bystanders desperately tried to summon assistance while the tiger launched its attack. She revealed how one gentleman attempted to scare the animal away by hammering on the enclosure fence, but the beast paid no heed.
She said: “It’s all a bit of a blur. I tried to look away but I couldn’t. I just remember hearing people say ‘Oh my God.'”. Everyone was trying to get their kids away because they knew what was about to happen.”
Ella explained that zoo personnel started clearing the walkway within moments, before the entire facility was evacuated.
She claimed to witnesses Chapman ‘pacing’ moments before he entered the tiger’s enclosure (Image: South Yorkshire Police / SWNS)
She added: “I just can’t stop thinking about it. It’s heartbreaking.”
Chapman, who was in his mid-20s, was declared dead at the scene following the incident at approximately 1.30pm on Saturday (October 10).
His relatives have since released a touching tribute, portraying him as a “bright, warm and engaging young man” who had struggled with serious mental health issues for several years.
In a statement issued on Tuesday (October 13), his family revealed that William had suffered from “significant mental illness” over a number of years and had been receiving “strong medication”.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has remained closed ever since the attack(Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS)
The family stated it would be for the coroner to establish whether his mental health condition was a contributing factor in his death. The statement said: “The family are utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened.
“The family are hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their upmost to get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did.”
City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into the incident, and the park remains closed following the tragedy.
