Deer survives cliff fall

A deer was hauled up a cliff after swimming out to sea

A young deer has survived a fall of 80 feet down a cliff in Cornwall.

The roe buck narrowly missed rocks at the bottom of the cliff before being swept out to sea.

It took 20 rescuers five hours to bring the deer back to safety at Port Isaac.

The animal suffered minor injuries and was later released into woods.

The deer suffered only minor injuries

The deer was on its own by the cliff edge when it fell into the sea below.

Port Isaac resident Jane Byfield saw the animal fall and alerted the coastguard.

When rescuers arrived, the deer was about a quarter of a mile out to sea and travelling away from land.

Port Isaac lifeboat crew managed to shepherd it back towards a small inlet.

The deer began to panic and came ashore in a cove that is only accessible from the sea or down a near-vertical cliff face.

'Driven away'

Local vet Michael King joined the rescue to tranquilise the animal.

The deer was then bound in a net, with a blanket covering its head.

A member of the rescue team was then winched up the steep cliff with the animal in his arms.

An RSPCA inspector found it had only superficial injuries.

A spokeswoman for the animal charity said: "We think he may have been driven from his herd by a stronger male and was looking for a new herd to join up with."