MAULED BY LION

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 165, 30 July 1937, Page 14

MAULED BY LION

-Pren* Aaim.-

Former Stiffkey Rector Saved by Young Girl STUNT NEARLY TRAGEDY

t By Telegraph-

— Copyrisrht.)

, LONDON, July 29. A lion sprang at and severely mauled Haroid Davidson, iormerly rector of fcstih'Jsey, while he was speaking at the fcikegness Amusement Jfarlc from a cage containing a lion and lioness. ±te tripped over the iioness vvhile steppiug baca, whereupon the lion attaeked nim. Davidson defended . hijnself with a stick until Renee fctomer, a 16-year-old attendant, who was standing outside, courageously dashed in and held the snarling beast at bay with a whip and thrust an iron bar into his mouth. Spectators stood horror-stricken and women screamed and fainted. Miss Somer, having forced the lion into a corner, dragged Davidson to the f'ront of the cage, enabling attendants to rescue him. She fainted immediately she left the cage. Davidson was takon to hospital in a grave condition, owiug to shcck and claw wounds in his shoulder and back. Haroid Davidson, while rector of Stiffkey, achieved notoriety for spending a period in barrel, displaying himself to the public in order to secure money. His daughter followed her parent's example.