Unusual sighting of deer spotted on the Isle of Cumbrae

Stuart Mellor, who owns the Westbourne caravan park and self catering accommodation in Millport, was driving past the monument near the ferry slip to the north east of the island when he  spotted it hopping in front of him at the side of the road before heading towards the beach.

It was after dark and the video footage which they filmed was not too clear, but Stuart was astonished to get such a clear sight of the deer.

He said: "I couldn't believe it when we saw it last night. It was surprising to see and I wonder if anyone else has seen the deer on the island?"

"We had two here a few years ago too, and they would jump the fences in front of us."

The deer would have swam from the Isle of Bute or possibly from Largs, it is believed.

There are six wild deer species in the UK, each with its own characteristics including Roe Deer, Red Deer, Sika Deer. Fallow Deer, and Chinese Water Deer.

The Roe Deer is described as a  true native species to UK, and widespread across the entire of the British Isles, although sightings on the island remain few and far between down the decades.

The News understands that over recent months that there have been other sightings of the deer near the entrance to the woods on Ferry Road on the island, a short distance away from last night's viewing.

Phil Lonsdale of the former Marine Biological Station in Millport, who has lived on the island since 1975, said: "This particular deer has been on the island for at least three months.

"It swam over from Bute or the mainland, it's impossible to tell. Deer on the island are uncommon but not rare. Five appeared some eight years ago and were here, in diminishing number, for some five years.

"One of them was found butchered at the north end of the island.

"The rest just dwindled until there was one, then none - it probably swam away. As I said they aren't rare, there has been at least one on the island about a third of my time here."