Beiruting News

Hundreds of butterflies were killed in a celebration that transformed quickly into a traumatic bloodbath.

The shop, based in Chengdu, south west China, held the ill-fated event on Saturday in Qingshuihe Park, where hundreds of butterflies were to be released from ornamental boxes.

Children would then be invited to chase after the beautiful winged creatures, which were flown in from China's Yunnan Province.

Upon being released however, the butterflies were in lethargic form.

Instead of flying off with enchanted children chasing them as expected, they remained on the stage, waddling around on the ground.

But then disaster struck, with over-excited children storming the stage and parents looking on in horror as the stampede of young feet crushed the butterflies.

Horrified event organisers were left to clean up the butterfly bloodbath, later saying that they felt "very sorry" for the unfortunate death of the animals.