Singer dies after being bitten by king cobra on stage

An Indonesian singer has collapsed and died after being bitten by a king cobra while performing on stage in a village in Karawang, West Java.

Pop star Irma Bule, 29, was performing when she was bitten by one of the two snakes she was using as props.

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She reportedly stepped on one of the snake's tails and it bit her on her thigh.

However, the singer continued performing for another 45 minutes before she collapsed and vomited on stage. She is reported to have refused an antidote that was offered to her.

She was taken to hospital but, according to the Inquirer, she was declared dead on arrival.

Ferlando Octavion Auzura, one of the witnesses of the incident, told local media outlet Merdeka: "In the middle of the second song, Irma stepped on the snake's tail. The snake then bit Irma in her thigh."

The paper adds that Bule is a singer of dangdut, or traditional pop Indonesian music influenced by Hindu, Malay, and Arabic melody.

Dangdut singers often utilise gimmicks such as playing with snakes to entertain their fans.

According to the Metro, king cobras are one of the deadliest snakes in the world and can kill an elephant, or 20 people, with a single bite.