Roe deer stuck in school gates

UNHURT: The deer used to slip through the railings

'He appeared to be embarrassed'

May 2010: This is the moment a deer learnt the hard way that his waist was no longer quite as trim as it used to be.

The young male roe deer is a frequent visitor to the grounds of St Finnian's School, at Cold Ash, near Thatcham in West Berkshire. On numerous previous occasions the wild animal has been seen easily slipping through the bars of the school's railings, but it seems his adult figure is no longer as svelte as he thought and he managed to get stuck between the bars as he tried in vain to squeeze through.

RSPCA inspector Sharon Chrisp, who was called out to free the deer from his predicament around 1.45pm was able to take the photograph as she stood assessing the situation, in order to work out the best way to get him free.

Freed with a car jack

Sharon said: "According to local people this young deer was often seem in the grounds and would squeeze between the bars to get out. But he had obviously filled out more than he thought and when I arrived at the scene he was well and truly jammed in.

"He was unable to move either forward or backward and the expression on his face seemed to be more of embarrassment rather than anything else as he had managed to get his head through but then got stuck around the middle."

Inspector Chrisp was able to free the deer by prising the bars wider apart with a car jack and gently pulling him backwards. The deer was checked over prior to being released and apart from a few superficial grazes the only thing that was badly injured was his pride.