A deer in Bolton had to be put to sleep after being found stuck in railings.

The RSCPA said that two of its employees were called to the animal in distress on Wednesday morning on Overdale Drive, Heaton.

The deer was stuck in a narrow space in between two gray railings.

The tight nature of the space caused the deer serious injuries, so much so it had to be put down.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "Two RSPCA rescuers attended to a deer that had been found stuck in railings beside a railway line close to Overdale Drive in Bolton, on Wednesday morning.

 "Tragically, the sharp railings had caused large wounds on either side of the deer’s body where he had been struggling to free himself, and he was very distressed and would have been in a lot of pain. The decision was made to put him to sleep to prevent him suffering any further.

They added: "It’s incredibly sad for our rescuers when a wild animal is fatally injured, as we hope that every animal can make a recovery and be released but sadly, this isn’t always the case. The railings are in place to prevent people and animals accessing the railway line, so it’s unclear why the deer had tried to squeeze himself through the small gap - it’s possible he had been spooked by the noise of a train, or chased by another animal. 

"Every week our officers respond to hundreds of calls about wild animals in need of our help, and we rely on the public to be our eyes and ears and contact us. Anyone who finds an injured wild animal can call our emergency line on 0300 1234 999."