Rescue bid for deer trapped in solar farm

A rescue operation has been launched to save several deer trapped in a solar farm.

The deer have been stuck since at least 10 April according to a local dog walker who filmed them trying to escape the fence surrounding the 87-hectare plot of the Cowley Complex, owned by Sonnedix, near Billingham.

Video footage from earlier this week shows one of the animals headbutting the fence hard before running back among the solar panels.

A Sonnedix spokesperson said that a team was "working to locate the deer" and safely remove them from the site.

Helen Boland, who lives in Billingham and runs a dog walking company, said she was "very distressed and anxious" after watching the incident.

Ms Boland said: "I'm very worried for those deer, we saw three in there.

"The deer are clearly stressed and running around in panic."

A Sonnedix spokesperson said: "We are aware of a recent report of deer in our Crowley Complex solar farm and our team is working to locate the deer and ensure their safe removal from the site.

"We are grateful to the local community for reporting this."

Update: This story was amended on 18 July to make clear that, while the footage was filmed this week, Ms Boland says the deer have been stuck since at least April.