A popstar carried on performing for 45 minutes despite being bitten by a cobra, before collapsing and dying on stage.

This distressing video shows the moment Irma Bule, 29, was attacked mid-performance in the village of Karawang, West Java, by the venomous snake.

The Indonesian singer was well-known for using reptiles in her acts and thought the king cobra, called Rianti, had been de-fanged.

But when the snake bit her thigh, it injected venom into her bloodstream until a snake handler pulled it away.

The popstar carried on singing for 45 minutes, but began vomiting and having seizures.

She was later confirmed dead in hospital.

Ferlando Octavion Auzura, who was in the audience, told a local website: 'In the middle of the second song, Irma stepped on the snake's tail.

'The snake then bit Irma in her thigh.'

The singer - who had also used boa constrictors and pythons in previous acts - refused the offer of an antidote, according to reports.

Police say they are investigating the incident and have asked people in the audience for information.

King cobras can grow up to 18 feet and are found in India, Southeast Asia and southern China.

They are one of the deadliest snakes on the planet, with the amount of toxins released in a single bite enough to kill an elephant, or 20 people.

But the beasts are shy so usually avoid humans.