Rutting stag knocks woman to the ground as she strolls through park
A warning about the dangers of rutting stags was issued by the Royal Parks today after three separate attacks in London.
In one case a young girl was taken to hospital with head, wrist and chest injuries after being gored by a stag in Bushy Park, Richmond.
A man in his fifties was also taken to hospital after being attacked in the same park.
In a third attack a woman, pictured here, was left "badly shaken" after being knocked to the ground as she walked through the park on Friday morning.
The extraordinary scenes were captured by passing photographer Robert Piper, but the woman has not been identified.
A number of people had gathered to watch as three stags competed with each other, as part of the breeding season which typically runs from the end of September to late October.
But as one couple edged nearer to get a closer look, one stag turned its attention from its rivals and charged directly at the woman, knocking her to the ground.
Mr Piper said: "The deers were bellowing and being aggressive. Two or three stags were charging each other.
"One stag was quite worked up. A few people had gathered to watch, but one couple got a little bit too close. I looked down at my camera for a second and then I heard a scream and the stag was charging the woman.
"He went for her and knocked her over. She got to her feet and he charged a second time, but she managed to get behind a tree where she hid, but the stag would not move. She could not get away."
Mr Piper said the woman finally managed to escape after he distracted the animal's attention by shouting and waving his arms.
Mr Piper said: "She was really, really, shaken up. She was lucky she wasn't badly hurt and was able to walk away - it could have been a lot worse."
The attack on Friday morning came a week after the attack on the young girl.
A spokeswoman for the Royal Parks, which maintains Bushy Park where there are currently 320 red and fallow deer, said: "We are aware of the incidents and are investigating the circumstances. It's important to remind park visitors that deer are wild animals and must be treated with caution.
"It's dangerous to approach the deer at any time of year, but especially between September and November, when the males are rutting. Signs throughout the park warn that caution is necessary."
