Deer rescued after getting tangled in Henley cricket nets

The deer was thought to have been stuck for some time

A deer needed to be rescued after its antlers became entangled in a cricket club's practice nets.

The stag was rescued by the RSPCA and firefighters after a walker spotted it struggling to free itself at Harpsden Cricket Club in Henley-on-Thames.

RSPCA Inspector Andy Eddy said the animal was "thrashing around in a complete panic" after becoming "well and truly entangled" in the netting.

The rescuers managed to cut the netting to free the deer, which was unharmed.

Mr Eddy said after looking at the "churned up mud" around the nets, he believed the stag had been stuck for some time before it was freed on 29 January.

"He was a big animal with large antlers and was kicking out in a panic," he said.

"Deer can rapidly go downhill health-wise from stress so it was vital we freed him as soon as possible."

Injuries 'sometimes fatal'

Mr Eddy, along with a specialist in large animal rescues and firefighters from Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue service, used boards to get close to the deer to put a rug over its eyes, which calmed it down.

After its antlers were freed, the deer was checked over before it stood up and trotted off back into the nearby bushes, he added.

The RSCPA said it is contacted "regularly" about animals being trapped in fencing and netting.

The charity added: "Sometimes they can be struggling for so long to free themselves that they suffer horrific injuries - sometimes fatal."