The family of a young boy who was allegedly hurled into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo where he was then mauled have said they are 'living at the hospital' where he is being treated

A three-year-old boy who was allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo last month has had five surgeries and needs two more, his devastated family have said.

The toddler plunged 15ft before being mauled by a crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, on June 18.

The boy, who has not been named, was rescued by the zoo owners before being rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, in a critical condition. He is now stable but faces a long road to recovery.

In a statement published with a fundraiser for them on GoFundMe, his heartbroken family say they have been "living at the hospital" for the past two weeks where their boy has had five surgeries. He requires at least two more, including nerve reconstruction in his arm, the statement said.

It said: "We are extremely grateful for everyone’s generosity. We could never thank you enough for the support you have given our family in this horrible time.

"We have been living at the hospital for 2 weeks now and our son has undergone 5 surgeries. At this moment in time we know that our son is to undergo at least two more surgeries, one of those surgeries being a nerve reconstruction in his arm.

"These last two weeks have been a very uncertain and unsettling time. This uncertainty remains as we still don’t know the extent of his feeling, movement and function in both of his arms, wrists and hands.

"This will only be identified after casts and bandages are able to be removed and he can begin his rehabilitation journey. His rehabilitation journey is uncertain but we do know that it won’t be a short process."

It is reported the boy landed on a concrete walkway where he suffered a broken arm and pelvis before ending up in the water. It is believed he was then attacked by either a saltwater or Nile crocodile in an incident the zoo's owners have described as "one of the most distressing" in their history.

Cambridgeshire Police said the boy “was pulled out by staff from the zoo” with joint-owner Tracey Johnson having reportedly jumped into the enclosure to save the child.

The force arrested a 30-year-old man from Norfolk on suspicion of attempted murder shortly after the horrifying incident, but he was later bailed as officers said he was "assessed as being not fit for interview". It is believed the man has learning difficulties and was on a trip with carers.

The owners of Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo, Andy and Tracey Johnson, spoke out about the terrifying incident for the first time this week. They thanked their staff, emergency services and heroic visitors for their swift action in rescuing the boy.

"Everyone who was on site that day acted with incredible speed and determination. Within minutes of the first radio call, the child had been rescued from the enclosure and was receiving first aid," they said in a statement.

“The emergency services arrived very quickly, supported by the MAGPAS Air Ambulance, and we cannot thank them enough for their professionalism, compassion and dedication in such difficult circumstances."

The Johnson's added: "We are immensely proud of our own staff, who responded without hesitation and did everything they could to help and support the child until the emergency services took over.

"The kindness we have received from our local community and from people across the country has been overwhelming. Every message of support, every kind word and every expression of concern has meant a great deal to our family and our team during an incredibly difficult time.

“Thank you for standing with us. Above all, our thoughts remain with the young boy and his family. We continue to hope and pray for his speedy recovery and ask that they are given the privacy, compassion and support they need at this time.”

Cambridgeshire Police were called to the zoo at 1.24pm on June 18. According to reports, the two carers who were looking after the alleged suspect are now under investigation.

Donations to the GoFundMe, which has raised more than £25,000 at the time of writing, can be made here.