A four-year-old giraffe has tragically died following an accident at a popular animal park.

Wingham Wildlife Park says the beloved animal, named Ron, appears to have died after becoming injured in the night - sparking an outpouring of sadness from fans.

Ron was the youngest of three giraffes and a hugely popular presence at the wildlife park near Wingham, outside Canterbury.

Bosses announced in a post on Facebook this morning: "It is with a very heavy heart that we have to tell you that Ron, one of our giraffes has sadly passed away.

"It appears that he sustained an injury during an accident he had in the indoor housing during the night, however, we are also still awaiting the results from the post mortem."

The post has racked up thousands of reactions on Facebook, from those heartbroken by the news.

One woman wrote: "We saw him yesterday for my son’s birthday! Such sad news. RIP Ron."

Another wrote: "We came to the park yesterday and saw the three of them together, such sad news thinking of all the staff at WWP."

Another added: "Poor Ron! He was so lovely. A loss at the park is felt by everyone and my heart goes out to his keepers and you all."

Ron was one of three four-year-old Rothschild’s giraffes at Wingham. who joined there in early 2020 from Woburn and Longleat Safari Parks.

Ron was the youngest by about two months, having been born in August 2017.

Wingham's website says the typical lifespan of a Rothschild’s giraffe - a subspecies found in areas of Kenya, Sudan and Uganda - is up to 30 years.

The Giraffe Conservation Foundation says giraffes typically live to about 25 years in the wild, and longer in captivity.

Two years ago, another giraffe named Evan tragically died at Wingham, after suffering a heart attack brought on by an acute infection.