A "petrified" deer was found trapped and thrashing around in fencing for 12 hours before he was freed by the RSPCA.

The muntjac deer leapt over a wooden fence on farmland in Old Buckenham before becoming stuck in the nylon mesh of some fencing around a pen housing wildfowl. 

The stricken animal thrashed around trying to break free for most of a day before the landowner saw him.

Eastern Daily Press: A petrified deer was found trapped and thrashing around in fencing for 12 hours A petrified deer was found trapped and thrashing around in fencing for 12 hours (Image: RSPCA)

RSPCA inspector Natalie Bartle rescued the deer on March 14 using a pair of scissors to cut a section of the meshed fencing away and a towel to protect the animal’s head.

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She said: “He was quite entangled and he was petrified. These types of fences are a problem and it is better if landowners and property owners used more robust ones made of metal.

“Fortunately, the deer wasn’t hurt but he was so frightened and ran off so quickly that he got stuck in another fence further down, so I needed to free him again.

“He had a lucky escape as he could have been trapped for longer."

Deer tend to get very frightened and ideally need to be left alone until specialist help arrives.

Eastern Daily Press: A petrified deer was found trapped and thrashing around in fencing for 12 hours A petrified deer was found trapped and thrashing around in fencing for 12 hours (Image: RSPCA)

It can do more harm than good attempting to free them, including the risk of injury.

The muntjac deer - which is considered an invasive species - cannot legally be released back into the wild if taken into care for rehabilitation or treatment.

They can only be legally released in situ - as was the case here.