Deer killed in 'barbaric' dog attack at reserve

The deer was found with severe injuries in a pond at the reserve

A dog killed a young deer in a "barbaric attack" at a nature reserve, leaving staff there "traumatised".

Dogs are banned from the Hauxley reserve at Druridge Bay, Northumberland, due to the abundance of wildlife, but on 25 July two men in their 20s were spotted on site with a terrier and lurcher.

Northumberland Wildlife Trust, which runs the reserve, said the lurcher was witnessed by a member of the public chasing a young roe deer into a pond and attacking it.

The men were then spotted washing the blood off the dogs before running down to the beach, the trust said. Northumbria Police said its inquiry was ongoing.

The trust said the pair entered the top end of the reserve from Low Hauxley, through woodlands, which is an area well known for regular roe deer sightings and is therefore always off limits to the public.

Despite people shouting at the men, they did nothing to call their dogs off, the trust said.

The deer was found with severe injuries.

A spokesperson for the trust said: "Staff at Northumberland Wildlife Trust's Hauxley reserve have been left traumatised following a barbaric dog attack on a young resident deer.

"Judging by the fact that the dog knew how to take the deer down, it is not the first time it has done it and is more than likely used regularly for hunting in this way."

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said the force received a report of trespassing shortly after 15:00 BST on 25 July.

"It was reported that two men had entered the land with two dogs, before the dogs attacked a deer. The deer then sadly died.

"The two men and the dogs then left the area."