A butcher died on Friday after he injured himself with a meat cleaver while trying to slaughter a pig.

Police say the incident happened at the Sheung Shui Slaughterhouse at around 1pm, when the 61-year-old butcher was about to kill a pig he had already knocked out with an electric stun gun.

But the pig regained consciousness and put up a struggle, during which the man fell to the ground.

Officers said the man’s left foot was injured by his meat cleaver during the commotion and he died after being taken to North District Hospital.

The force said the cause of death has yet to be ascertained, while the Labour Department said it was investigating the accident.