A mentally handicapped man was left seriously wounded after climbing into a bear enclosure in a Swiss zoo.

The 25-year-old climbed on to a wall surrounding the Bären Park (Bear Park) in the city of Bern, Switzerland, before falling 13ft into the enclosure, police said.

The unnamed man was then attacked by four-year-old bear Finn, who caused severe injuries to the his head and one of his legs, before a policeman shot the creature, injuring it and forcing it to retreat into a cave.

The other bear in the large enclosure, Finn's 10-year-old sister Bjoerk, was not involved in the attack.

Both the man and Finn are currently being treated for their respective injuries.

The Bear Park was opened on October 25th, and provides both Finn and Bjoerk with hill slopes, grasslands, a cave and access to the nearby Aare River.