Zhang Qi: Chinese woman held captive by parents in shed rescued by villagers

THE Chinese woman allegedly locked in a dirty shed by her parents for six years because they did not approve of her boyfriend has been freed.

Images have emerged of Zhang Qi being led from the ramshackle building by villagers in central China"s Hubei province, agencies are reporting.

Rescue mission ... villagers carry Zhang Qi from the house where she was allegedly held captive by her parents. Picture: Australscope Source: Supplied

Zhang, 24, who was allegedly forced into the filthy shed by her parents in 2009, reportedly tried to run away several times.

Kept prisoner ... this image of Zhang Qi lying in a filthy shed covered in rubbish shocked the world. Picture: Australscope Source: australscope

Her parents allegedly told everybody that she was mentally ill and that she had been locked up for her own protection in the remote property in the village of Jingang.

Traumatised ... Zhang Qi recovers in hospital as an unnamed woman — who may be her mother — looks on. Picture: Australscope Source: Supplied

When images of Zhang lying naked and covered in rubbish went viral, an angry mob of villages recognise the house, and marched round their demanding that she be freed.

She was sent to a hospital immediately and is said to be extremely traumatised.

Outrage ... angry villagers mounted a rescue operation after horrific images of Zhang Qi went viral. Picture: Australscope Source: Supplied

Speaking to reporters, Zhang"s mother, who was not named, defended their actions maintaining that her daughter was ill.

She said: "She keeps running away and hurting people. We took her to an asylum, but it didn"t work.”

Nightmare ... the ramshackle house where Zhang Qi was allegedly locked up for six years. Picture: Australscope Source: Supplied

Villager Chow Jen said the woman"s parents had managed to convince locals not to interfere.

"Every time I came back for Chinese New Year I went to visit her secretly,” he said.

"On my latest visit though I saw her lying on a pile of straw with a couple of blankets and some food around her and I just decided enough was enough.

"Whether what they say about her having mental problems is true or not, she is being treated like an animal here and I"m sick of it so I contacted the police, and then posted the images online.”