Video shows moment deer is rescued from Brixham harbour by divers

  • Watch the moment the deer is rescued from the water

A deer that fell into Brixham harbour has been rescued by local scallop divers who were on their way to work.

Frazer Pugh and his crewmates William Jennings and Darrin Fowler arrived at the harbour on 16 May to drive out to their scallop dive spot when they noticed the animal struggling in the water.

A member of the harbour security team explained that a deer had come into the harbour and jumped down onto a boat and then into the water after being frightened by a man and his dog.

Mr Pugh said: "He was panicked and swimming around the inner harbour and he couldn't get out because the tide was too high and obviously it's walled so he couldn't get himself back out the harbour again."

The harbour staff were at a loss of what to do about the deer, Frazer said, so he and his crew decided to help.

It took around 10 minutes to start their boat up, which they then drove over the water to save the deer. By this time the animal had become exhausted in the water.

Frazer Pugh and his crew calmed the deer down before releasing it. Credit: William Jennings

Fraser added: "It was easy, we literally just drove up alongside him and I grabbed his antlers and lifted him out. He was only a baby buck."

The crew then made a plan to release the deer away from town to avoid it being hit by traffic.

After calming the animal down on the boat, they decided to take him around to Fishcombe Cove where they safely released him.

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