A deer had to be rescued on the Uckfield railway line at approximately 1am this morning (Thursday 4th July 2013). The male roe deer or buck had baler twine caught round its antlers and neck, which was also attached to a piece of wood caught at the edge of the railway line about 20-30 metres away from the Hempstead lane crossing at Uckfield, in East Sussex.

The deer was spotted by a late night dog walker. Trevor Weeks MBE founder of East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) attended on site from his near by home at the Horse Sanctuary in Hempstead Lane. "When I arrived at the crossing the deer was clearly caught but it was difficult to tell exactly how. My first concern was is there a train due, so I used the phone at the crossing to contact the Signal Box at Oxted who advised that no trains were due. At first it looked like the bailer twine was attached to a piece of wood by bailer twine, but the twine was also caught on part of the track fixings" explained Trevor, "the deer was stressed and exhausted, and it was clear the deer had to be freed as soon as possible in order to stand any chance of surviving. As I approached to get a better look in the dark the deer flipped over giving me the ideal opportunity to jump it and pin it to the floor. I took the rather risky opportunity and within just a few minutes I was able to cut the deer free and remove the twine which was luckily not tightly attached round the deer's neck. I know my partner Kathy won't be pleased to hear I tackled the deer without the back up of other rescuers present, but it was too good an opportunity to miss making the rescue so much quicker and easier for the deer."

The deer ran off through the bushes and off into the darkness. "It was a good job the deer was spotted when it was, or it may have died of stress by the morning or even been hit by an early morning train" said Trevor.

- END -

Press Contact: Trevor Weeks MBE (East Sussex WRAS) - 07931 523958

Share this!