Two days earlier he was attacked by a lion during a stage act 'Daniel in a Modern Lion's Den'. Davidson gave his usual speech before entering the cage in which two lions, Freddie and Toto, were sitting quietly. Freddie became agitated and knocked Davidson over before seizing him by the neck and running with him around the cage. 16-year-old tamer Irene Somner struggled to pacify the snarling Freddie who eventually dropped the unconscious Davidson, enabling her to drag him to safety; he was badly gashed and had suffered a broken bone in his neck.