'We thought we were going to die in rhino attack'

Zoe Farmer said she felt helpless in the safari park: "You could see it charging towards us with that huge horn on its head and I thought we were all going to die, I really did."

She was with her husband and grandson while on a visit to West Midlands Safari Park on 9 August.

The 53-year-old NHS worker said the park's wardens were "nowhere to be seen" during the attack and added she felt the attraction had "washed their hands" with the incident, only offering a refund and another free visit.

But a spokesperson for the park told the BBC: "Our keepers responded immediately to the altercation, checked all guests, and offered assistance to those involved throughout the morning."

Farmer, from Accrington, Lancashire, said they did not think that the rhinos would attack while they were in the park: "The only reason we went was because they got rid of the monkeys so thought there would be no damage to the car.

"We were just in the line when we heard this almighty crash, it sounded like two cars had collided.

"When we looked back it was two rhinos fighting and, before we knew it, they were in the field by our car."

Farmer continued: "Then in the blink of a second they came hurtling towards us, straight into the bonnet... our car was rocking and I'd just taken my grandson out his car seat so he could see the animals.

"All that was going through my mind was the car was going to tip and my grandson wasn't safe - it was horrible, a horrible thought."

Farmer said her four-year-old grandson was left "frantic" as he could see one of the rhinos covered in blood.

"He kept saying, 'there's blood, nana, there's blood'," she said.

"It's not a nice experience for him and I'm not sure he'll want to go to another safari park anyway."

After the experience with the rhinos, the trio had to carry on through the park as there was nowhere else for them to go.

"We had to drive through the lions, which I was just shook up about because all that was going through my head was that these lions could attack," Farmer said.

"It was just so scary and the park wardens were nowhere to be seen.

"Nobody came to guide us and it wasn't until right at the end when a warden came over to us, and the first thing she said to us was that the park wasn't liable.

"It wasn't how we were.

"The first thing she said was they weren't liable but if you want to go around again for free you can do... they've washed their hands with it."

Farmer said her family would not be returning to the park, in Bewdley, Worcestershire, despite the offer of the free visit.

"It's not about the compensation, I just want them to make sure this doesn't happen again to other people," she said.

Charlotte Baker, from the Dudley area, was also caught up in the incident while visiting the park with her husband and their 18-month old baby.

She said her husband was left "really struggling" and even needed to be taken to hospital the next day.

"While it was happening, me and the baby were screaming and crying, and I think my husband was just in shock," Baker said.

"The next day he did go to hospital and when you're a working family you can't afford to keep having days off work."

"My whole body was shaking and since the event I keep thinking about what could have happened."

The incident had affected three vehicles, a West Midlands Safari Park spokesperson confirmed but added their keepers "responded immediately".

They checked all guests and offered assistance to those involved throughout the morning, they added.

"The rhinos quickly settled and remained under close observation," the spokesperson said.

"We understand the incident may have been upsetting to guests involved and we remain in contact with those guests to offer our support.

"We kindly remind guests both online and through on-site signage that they are entering an environment where animals are free-roaming.

"The safety and welfare of our guests and animals is our highest priority and keepers in patrol vehicles are always in close attendance to monitor all animal and vehicle movements across the Safari Drive."

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