Giant 3ft rabbit dies on United Airlines flight to US

United Airlines is investigating after reports a giant rabbit died on one of its transatlantic flights.

At 3ft and only 10 months old, Simon, a continental giant rabbit, was on course to outgrow the world's biggest rabbit - his 4ft 4in father, Darius.

Simon was said to have been travelling from Heathrow Airport to O'Hare in Chicago after being brought by a celebrity owner in the United States.

Simon's breeder, Annette Edwards, from Worcestershire, told The Sun: "Something very strange has happened and I want to know what. I've sent rabbits all around the world and nothing like this has happened before.

"The client who bought Simon is very famous. He's upset."

Continental giant rabbits cost around £5,000 a year to keep.

A spokesperson for United Airlines said they "were saddened to hear this news.

"The safety and well-being of all the animals that travel with us is of the utmost importance to United Airlines and our PetSafe team.

"We have been in contact with our customer and have offered assistance. We are reviewing this matter."

The reports of Simon's death is the latest controversy to hit the airline, after a video emerged less than three weeks ago of a passenger being dragged from a United plane after refusing to leave his seat on an overbooked flight.

Dr David Dao, 69, sustained a broken nose, concussion and lost two teeth after Chicago airport officers were summoned by United employees to remove him when he would not give up his seat.

The most recent figures from the US Department of Transportation - dating from 2015 but released this February - show 35 animal deaths occurred during transit across 17 carriers in the States.

United accounted for 14 animal deaths in that period with a further nine reported injured among the nearly 100,000 animals carried by the company.