Police have revealed how they had to rescue a terrified woman and her dog who came under attack from distressed deer in Richmond Park.

The woman was head butted and her dog, which was on a lead, was stamped on, suffering minor injuries.

It appears that the deer launched the attack after being disturbed by another dog – owned by someone else - that had been allowed off its lead.

Currently, all dog owners are advised to keep their dogs on a lead in Richmond and Bushy parks because many of the female deer are caring for new-born fawns.

The Royal Parks police tweeted: "We had to rescue a lady and her dog after being attacked by the deer. The lady was head butted and dog stamped on.

"The deer were reacting to a dog off the lead who tried to chase them. Both the lady and dog had minor injuries."

A rule requiring pet owners to keep their dogs on leads in the two Royal parks came into effect in May and is due to remain in place until July 31, however many people ignore this.

The season marks a vulnerable time for a female deer, who hide their young in long grass to conceal them from dogs and other perceived predators.

Simon Richards, Park Manager for Richmond Park said: "Deer are instinctively frightened of dogs, but when they enter birthing season, this fear takes on a new dimension. Female deer are afraid of dogs harming their young and, as a result, they will be on high alert and can display defensive behaviour.

"In previous years, female deer have been known to give chase and attack, even if the dog is at a distance and not acting proactively. This can be extremely frightening to witness, particularly for the dog's owner."

Since the beginning of 2022, there have been over 50 incidents recorded of dogs chasing deer in Bushy and Richmond Parks. As many incidents go unreported, it is expected the figure is much higher.