Call to farmers after stags saved

The stag at Cowden had to be restrained with a sleeping bag

Two deer have been found trapped in hay bail netting causing an animal charity to ask farmers to take more care when discarding rubbish.

East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service (WRAS) was called to free a stag trapped in netting and barbed wire, in Cowden, on Saturday.

"It was very stressed as it was so badly entangled in the netting and wire," said spokesman Trevor Weeks.

Volunteers also rescued a stag trapped in netting at Buxted on Tuesday.

Sleeping bag

On that occasion the discarded material had become wrapped round the animal's antlers.

It took almost 30 minutes to cut the stag free.

On Saturday, volunteers arrived to find the stag jumping backwards and forwards around the barbed wire fence and had to restrain it before cutting it free.

"I managed to throw a sleeping bag over its head, and as it tripped on the wire, I managed to gain control and pin the deer to the ground," said Mr Weeks.

He said he knew responsible farmers truly cared for the environment.

"But some will save every penny they can by dumping netting and other waste on their land," he said.

"If farmers are supposed to be guardians of the countryside, then these are not doing a very good job."

WRAS has also launched an appeal to replace two of its three animal ambulances, based in Eastbourne and Brighton, which it says are breaking down too often to be reliable.