Two fallow stags were found with their antlers entwined with each other last week, after becoming trapped by discarded litter which left one dead.

The sad sight of the stags, whose antlers had become entangled in twine, was discovered at Chiswick Hall last Thursday morning by a passing member of the public.

When the RSPCA arrived, they found one of the deer had been dead for some time, and the other one was thrashing around unable to escape.

RSPCA animal welfare officer Jane Folly said: “These poor animals had got themselves into a proper fix.

“Both of their antlers were completely entangled in this twine and therefore to each other, and one of the stags had been dead for some considerable time. Who knows how long they had been stuck in this way, but it was pretty distressing all round.

“The surviving stag was thrashing himself about in attempts to get free, but just getting himself more entangled in the process. There is no way he would have been able to untangle himself without any help and may have suffered an injury or starved to death.

“It was a tricky operation as the deer was so large, but eventually we managed to loosen the twine so he could run away free to live another day.

“This deer had a lucky escape. Deer can often become seriously injured after getting caught up in rubbish like this – which poses a serious hazard to all kinds of wildlife.

“The message here really is stark but simple – litter is lethal. We urge people to take special care before throwing away rubbish like this, and really think about the damage it might cause.”

If you spot a trapped animal you can call the RSPCA national cruelty and advice line on 0300 1234 999.

For more advice about litter visit the RSPCA website at www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/litter.