A DRIVER who helped to save an unborn fawn after its mother ran into the path of his car has spoken of his shock on finding out the animal had to be put down because it was too tame.

The male fawn — which had survived after its mother was killed in the car accident while she was pregnant in June—was rescued and taken to the RSPCA Wildlife Centre in Nantwich, Cheshire.

After a month, the male roe deer was taken to a centre in Norfolk with specialist facilities to rehabilitate deer into the wild.

The animal was released into the wild last month, but the RSPCA said it was too tame following its release and it had to be put down.

Wesley Cubbage, aged 20, of Vale Street, Turton, was on his way to pick up his girlfriend when the deer jumped over the wall into the path of his BMW.

When he stopped and walked behind the car he was met with the horrific sight of the dead mother deer, her abdomen split open by the impact and two fawns lying beside her.

One was dead but the other was alive and moving so Mr Cubbage got a towel from his boot and wrapped the fawn in it.

Mr Cubbage said: “Me and my family were shocked when we found out.

“We didn’t expect the RSPCA to put it down.

“If it was too tame for the wild then it could have gone to an animal sanctuary.

“After everything that has happened it is very disappointing.

My mum was very upset, especially.

“I just think it is wrong what the RSPCA has done. I’m sure a lot of other people feel the same.”

Volunteer Mervyn Symonds, of Little Lever, last month quit his post at the RSPCA shop in Chorley Old Road over the incident.

Mr Symonds, aged 63, who spent the past five years volunteering for the charity said the RSPCA had “lost its way”.

But Bolton Branch chairman Kathy Kay urged people not to stop supporting the charity.

She said she was sure animal welfare workers would only have taken the decision as a last resort.

An RSPCA spokesman said: “Obviously, this particular incident is very sad.

“Our staff spent many hours over the past five months handrearing the deer in the hope he could be successfully released back into the wild.

“We took the chance we could rear it knowing we might have to euthanise it if it sadly proved unsuitable for a life in the wild.