A DULVERTON trader thought Christmas had come early when he spotted a Rudolph the reindeer look-alike behind his Dulverton shop.

But when Patrick Veale alerted RSPCA officers about the deer with a red nose that had become trapped in the yard at his High Street business, they thought they might be dealing with a festive prank.

However, it quickly became clear that a genuine wild animal was in need of rescue.

A young female roe deer had somehow managed to get into the walled yard behind Mr Veale's fishing and gun shop, Lance Nicholson.

And although she had gone in of her own accord, she became increasingly panicked at being trapped and started running at the walls, which led to her bloody nose.

Three RSPCA officers were drafted in to deal with the incident less than a week before Christmas.

They strung up nets to confine the deer to a small area and managed to catch her by throwing a blanket over her head.

Once they were able to examine her they could see that the injury to her nose was only superficial and did not require treatment.

The deer was transferred to a kennel in the back of an RSPCA van and driven to the nearest woods, around 300 metres away, where she was released.

RSPCA chief inspector John Pollock, who was part of the rescue team, said: "It wasn't Rudolph but it was a genuine red-nosed deer in need of help.

"The shop owner had followed advice and done all the right things but in the end it was clear that whilst she had got herself in, she wasn't able to get out without help.

"We were able to return her to the woods, where she would have come from and which were very close by.

"Hopefully, she won't make the mistake of trying to go Christmas shopping again."