A cheeky lion cub who tried to sneak up on his father got a nasty shock after he found himself getting an unexpected shower.

The cub was skulking behind the large male called Romulus following a meal in Ndutu, Tanzania, when he got caught in the stream of urine.

Photographs show the young lion looking less than impressed as he dashes away from the area following the unlucky incident.

Russian photographer Julia Sundukova caught the funny scenes on camera on a trip to visit the Marsh pride of lions earlier this year.

The 37-year-old said: ‘This is one of the males who controls the pride and he covers a few other prides too.

‘Romulus and the other lions had a good dinner and after the meal they had a flirt.

‘They went into the bushes and prepared to mark the area – but at the same moment his son, one of the oldest cubs in the pride, decided to check what his father was doing. The cub’s eyes hurt after his father peed into them, but he is fine.’

Scent marking by lions, often against vegetation, is an important part of big cat’s behaviour, warning others of their presence as well as alerting female lions to their position in the pride.

A cheeky lion cub who tried to sneak up on his father got a nasty shock after he found himself getting an unexpected shower of urine

The cub had been skulking behind the large male called Romulus – and perhaps trying to sneak up on him – following a meal in Ndutu, Tanzania

The young cub was in the worst position – right behind his father – when he got caught directly in the face by the urine stream

The young lion quickly ducked away after being caught full in the face by the unpleasant liquid, which is used by big cats to mark their territory

The cub looked less than impressed as he dashed away from the area following the unlucky incident, while two other female lions looked on

Julia Sundukova caught the funny scenes on camera on a trip to visit the Marsh pride of lions and said it appeared the young cub had hurt his eyes as he walked away from his father (above)