THEY are Britain’s largest wild animal.

But, says Dorset Wildlife Trust, your chances of encountering a deer in your back garden, on school playing fields or munching the flowers in your local park are increasing all the time.

“We are getting increasing reports about deer in more unusual situations,” says Sam Hamer, of Dorset Wildlife Trust.

He cites examples of deer being found in places as diverse as a tennis court in Poole, in town gardens and at the sides of busy roads.

Just last summer, a resident of Ibsley near Ringwood called the RSPCA after spotting a stag splashing around in their disused swimming pool.

RSPCA Inspector Patrick Bailey, who rushed to the scene, said: “The homeowner stumbled across the deer when he went out to mow the lawn that morning.

“He told us they had a herd of approximately 40 deer that visited their garden each evening so the stag may have been in the pool all night. He wasn’t visible from the house so it was unclear how long he’d been in the water.”

There is footage on the internet of a Muntjac deer in a Bournemouth multi-story car-park and four roe deer were spotted in a garden in the Parkstone area in 2016.

Most bizarrely of all, perhaps, was the fallow deer spotted trotting on the East Cliff in June 2017, by Echo reader Susanne Wood.

Sam is unsurprised.

“We have had a few reports of people on boats really astonished to see a deer swimming along in Poole harbour,” he said.

Deer find their way into town centres via the 'green corridors' of roadsides - which often have flowers for them to munch - and railway tracks and they only come because they are looking for food.

Even more astonishing are the herds of up to 60 of the creatures – usually fallow deer – to be found in the Wareham area and which can go on the move at this time of year.

Motorists using the A35 especially should be aware of these types of deer and their potential behaviour, said Mr Hamer.

"Herding deer like sika and fallow do move and they can do it in large numbers," he warned. "It's not uncommon for a herd of 50 fallow deer to try and cross the A35 and they tend to take their time."

Motorists may see one or two deer looking as if they may cross. However, he said: "What you don't see is ten metres into the woodland at either side, an enormous group of up to 50 deer waiting to cross." These crossings can take up to 25 minutes, he said.

"All road users should be aware that they could encounter deer."

*If you've got any urban deer pictures you'd like to share, please email them to newsdesk@bournemouthecho.co.uk