Stag put down after attacking man in Richmond Park

ByJames W Kelly

London

A man in his 60s suffered chest injuries after being attacked by a stag in Richmond Park on Saturday.

Royal Parks said the male deer had approached the man's picnic group looking for food, and had since been put down.

Emergency services were called to the south-west London park at 18:16 BST following reports of a deer attack. The Met said a man was taken to hospital, where his injuries were assessed as neither life-threatening nor life-changing.

The charity which maintains London's Royal parks has issued a warning to stay 164 ft (50m) away from the animals following what they said was a rise in visitors feeding wild animals.

A Royal Parks spokesperson said: "We understand from the police that thankfully the injuries were not life-threatening.

"Sadly, the stag's behaviour meant that it had to be put down as it was deemed to be a danger to visitors."

Royal Parks said the attack comes amid a surge in social media videos and pictures showing visitors feeding deer.

"This is highly dangerous behaviour," the spokesperson said.

"Deer in Bushy and Richmond Parks are wild animals and should never be fed, approached or touched."

They said that repeated feeding can lead the deer to "lose their natural wariness of people and seek out food from visitors," which puts the animals and people in danger.

Royal Parks warned visitors to both Richmond and Bushy parks - which cover 3,600 acres (14.6 sq km) between them and have a high deer population - to keep their distance, not to feed them and slowly move away if one approaches.

"We need everyone who visits to take responsibility for their own behaviour and to keep themselves, other visitors and the deer safe," the spokesperson added.

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