A baby deer died today after getting trapped in a fence surrounding Colchester's Philip Morant Technology College.

The baby deer, about the size of a large dog, was trapped between the railings at the Norman Way end of the school's grounds.

Two fire engines a rescue tender and a rescue pump were sent out from Colchester fire station to try and save the deer, but it had died shortly before they arrived at about 10am.

A spokesman for the fire service said: "It had got stuck in the fence between two railings. The poor thing had died before we arrived."

The first alarm call about the deer was raised by a Philip Morant pupil and a call was made to the Ark Veterinary practice, in Church Lane, by concerned resident Jeanette West.

She criticised the school for putting up the fence in the first place adding: "They should think about the impact such fences have on the wildlife."

Nobody from Philip Morant Technology College was available from comment about the deer or the fence at the time of going to press

Published Monday, June 16, 2003

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