A British man was allegedly lynched and murdered in Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest area after being accused of killing a local man.

A mob is said to have stormed the police station where the man was being held, before he was taken and then burned alive.

Local reports said the unnamed male was first taken to the police station by members of the local community on suspicion of shooting another person dead. The British man was reported to have then been removed from the police station by the same individuals about six hours after his arrest and set alight in front of police.

Ecuadorian news outlet Ecuavisa said the killing happened in the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve in Ecuador’s Amazon region, which is a popular eco-tourism area.

It is the second largest reserve of the South American country’s 56 national parks and protected areas, and is located in the Putamayo Canton in Sucumbios Province.

The British national is said to have been handed over to police at about 6am on Sunday. He was said to have been murdered just after midday the same day.