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Deer runs loose in Manchester city centre streets

Kate Erskine Deer in ManchesterKate Erskine
A woman posted a photograph of the deer swimming in a canal in Castlefield

A wild deer has been filmed running amok in the centre of Manchester and swimming in the city's canals.

The animal was spotted galloping along the busy Oxford Road near Manchester University and in the canals around the Castlefield area.

Police and the RSPCA have been made aware of the sightings, which began at about 12:40 BST.

A tweet posted by Greater Manchester Police prompted a flurry of humorous responses from social media users.

Terry Green wrote: "Stag do's getting way out of hand."

Michael Moran posted: "Doh! or is that Doe! Somebody in Manchester lost their deer."

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Twitter user Kate Erskine took mobile phone footage of the mammal swimming in a canal, scattering nearby geese.

She said she had contacted the RSPCA which confirmed efforts were under way to locate the deer.

GMP Deer in ManchesterGMP
Police posted an image of the deer near Whitworth Park

Greater Manchester Police are also involved in the search and said the animal was last seen by a community support officer heading into Whitworth Park.

An RSPCA spokesperson said: "We received a report from the police that a medium-sized female deer was in the canal in Manchester city centre this afternoon but it managed to get out.

"We were then told the deer was stranded on some land near the canal but it again managed to get free and ran away before our officers could attend.

"We do see deer in Manchester city centre - they usually live in large park areas but will follow canal paths and tram lines to make their way in and out of the city.

"Although deer traditionally live in forests, moors and parkland, they are becoming more common in urban environments across the UK, for example they have been seen in gardens, golf courses, roads and railway lines."

Anybody spotting a deer in distress is asked to contact the charity on 0300 123 4999.