Deer in a terrible tangle runs free after dramatic rescue

Two quick-thinking inspectors rescued and released a distressed fallow deer whose antlers had become tangled in baling twine and barbed wire.

We were contacted after the frightened buck was found thrashing around with his antlers caught in fencing in Lydney, Gloucestershire.

Our animal rescuers, Suzi Smith and Al Barnes, rushed to the scene to set him free after managing to carefully cut away the hazards.

Suzi was able to film a clip of the fallow buck as they approached to set him free, before capturing the magical moment he was released back into the wild where he belongs.

Suzi said:

"He was stuck fast by the barbed wire fencing which was caught in the bailer twine that was tightly twisted around his antlers. As you can see in the video clip, the deer had been frantically thrashing around to try to free himself.

"We knew we had to act carefully and quickly to minimise the stress caused. Deer are vulnerable animals that can become easily stressed and this has a huge impact on their health and wellbeing.

"It had been a real struggle cutting him out from the twine and barbed wire, so it was great to finally see him stand up and dart off.

"We were able to carefully manage the moment the deer stood back up thanks to the use of the towel to cover his eyes, thereby keeping him quieter and reducing stress levels, which gave me a rare opportunity to film one of those special moments that make the rescue work we do to help animals so rewarding."

If you spot an animal trapped, in distress, or in need of help, contact us on our emergency line on 0300 1234 999.