THE Furness MP has called for a 'criminal investigation' into the death of a lion at South Lakes Safari Zoo, which features in a BBC documentary being broadcast next week.

BBC Two documentary, Trouble at the Zoo , charts the journey of the new company that is working to turnaround the Furness animal park, and will be broadcast on Thursday at 9pm.

BBC Studios filmed the observational documentary between April and September last year. It follows the zoo hitting the headlines when it was revealed that almost 500 animals had died there in under four years and that zoo founder David Gill was denied a new license to run the park.

Cumbria Zoo Company Ltd took full control of the park in January last year. The new company made improvements to the zoo's animal welfare, enclosures and facilities and inspectors noted those changes. Cumbria Zoo Company Ltd was awarded a license in May and it has just signed an eight year lease for the site.

The documentary covers the events of summer 2017 and it features director Andreas Kaufmann who is brought in to help the team to modernise standards. He raises concerns about the animal diets and he wants to reduce the number of animals kept on-site.

The synopsis for the documentary says: "food supply problems have serious implications for one of the zoo's favourite animals." The documentary shows African lion, Nero, become unwell and then he dies some days later despite the best efforts of veterinary professionals and the park team. The programme says post-mortem results show Nero had barbiturates poisoning and this is suspected to have been caused by contaminated meat. The documentary says the zoo receives its meat from a supplier and the park only uses meat from animals that have been shot.

Barrow and Furness MP John Woodcock said: “These latest distressing revelations occurred under the nominally new management at the zoo and underline why the government must overhaul the whole inspection regime which is allowing this to happen.

“The suspicious circumstances around Nero’s alarming death surely merit a criminal investigation; if the police are not already involved I will be asking the documentary makers to submit any evidence they have.

“The bottom line is that anyone who held senior a role at the time so many animals died of neglect at South Lakes under David Gill should not be allowed to carry on operating this or any other British zoo.

"That’s why Labour’s zoo inquiry in parliament is examining the case for a ‘fit and proper persons’ test to ensure that the people we entrust with the care of animals are appropriate to hold that responsibility.”

The RSPCA have said: "We are now looking into these latest findings.

"We believe wild animals should only be kept in captivity if good welfare can be assured."

The Mail has contacted Cumbria Zoo Company Ltd to asked about the making of the BBC documentary and Mr Woodcock's comments, but have so far not received a response.

The Mail has spoken to a representative from the BBC documentary and they did not wish to comment on the statement made by Mr Woodcock.