Deer trapped between fencing posts at National Trust property in West Sussex rescued by RSPCA

A deer has been rescued by the RSPCA after getting herself wedged between two fencing posts at Standen House and Gardens in West Sussex.

The unlucky deer managed to get herself trapped in the small gap, but was spotted by National Trust staff when they came on shift in the morning.

RSPCA animal rescue officers (ARO) Sam Matthews and Louis Horton attended the incident on 7 November and found the poor animal stuck between two posts.

With the help of a car jack they managed to widen the gap between the posts and lifted her up to the widest part and were able to release her.

Sam said: "It looked like she tried to leap over the fence but didn't quite make it. She slid down between the posts and got caught between her hips and ribs.

"She didn't put up much of a fight when we arrived. We popped a towel over her head to keep her calm. The staff were very good at calming her and kept visitors away until we managed to free her. Thankfully we managed to release her by using the car jack to widen the gap, before lifting her out. She seemed absolutely fine and bounded off back into the wild.

"We often hear of deer getting tangled in the netting itself, but not trapped between the fencing posts! Staff are going to place wood in the gap to prevent it happening again. Deer can get stuck in quite small spaces so it's always worth checking fencing to make sure it's safe for wildlife.

"Sadly, when wild animals get themselves stuck they sometimes panic which can make the situation worse. It's really important that if you see a wild animal in this situation to get in touch with us so we can try and help as quickly as possible."