Woodside Wildlife Park said: "It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing away of Tango the tiger."

The park yesterday asked people to share their memories and photographs of Tango, who was moved to Lincolnshire in 2014 after being rescued from a German circus, the BBC reported.

Tango and his partner were saved hours before they were due to be put down.

On his 20th birthday, Tango was given a cardboard birthday cake filled with meat to celebrate his milestone.

Speaking at the time, Ben Pascoe, head keeper at the park, said: "He's the equivalent of about an 80-year-old man and I don't know of any 80-year-old men that are still running about."

Tigers usually live to about 16, and occasionally into their late teens, he said.

The world's oldest known tiger, Flavio, a male Siberian/Bengal tiger, died at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, in 2014. Staff at the centre said he was aged 25.