Vets rescue deer in Chepstow town centre

The young male muntjac deer had somehow wandered into the town from its preferred woodland habitat.

Residents in Bridge Street were first alerted to its plight when they heard "an almighty noise".

Marlow Vets staff dislodged the deer from the railings in Chepstow and treated it before releasing it back into the wild. Picture: Dr Glyn Jones

"I thought it was a seagull – it was making a high-pitched scream," Jan Howells-Jones said. "The noise was incredible."

Mrs Howells-Jones, her neighbours, and some builders tried to calm the deer down by putting a jacket over its head. They then called Marlow Vets, a local clinic.

A vet and nurses from the clinic arrived soon afterwards, and found the deer "absolutely frantic and panicking", veterinary surgeon Caroline Marlow said.

Marlow Vets staff dislodged the deer from the railings in Chepstow and treated it before releasing it back into the wild. Picture: Dr Glyn Jones

"We sedated it, got it out [of the railings] and back to the vets, where we checked it over and treated it for shock and superficial injuries," she added.

Once the deer had recovered from its adventure in Chepstow, the vets released it back into the woodland near Piercefield Park.

"It's just as well somebody saw it and thought to ring the vets as soon as possible," Mrs Marlow said. "It made a big change from our usual patients, but we always like the challenge of seeing wildlife."

She added: "We've even got vets qualified to treat marine mammals – but we're unlikely to see any of those here."