A DARING deer gave Minehead RNLI the run-around last Thursday after making a dash into choppy waters off Culvercliffe.

Minehead RNLI's new Atlantic 85 was called into action to reports of a young deer entering the sea in Minehead bay.

Following a call from a member of public, HM Coastguard requested that the lifeboat was launched at 12noon.

The crew arrived on scene just off Culvercliffe and quickly spotted the deer about 100 meters offshore.

A decision was made to 'coax' the tired and distressed animal back to shore where a team from Porlock HM Coastguard was waiting to retrieve it.

But as soon as the deer got back on dry land the evasive animal returned to the water where the lifeboat crew again tried to encourage it to go ashore.

On the second attempt the startled animal made for some bushes just off the beach where it stayed for a considerable time.

After rescuers struggled to catch the animal it made a third and final attempt to swim away when the lifeboat managed to get alongside and secure it for the journey back to Minehead Lifeboat Station.

The animal stayed onboard until the lifeboat was recovered before being checked over by a local vet. Once confident that the deer was in good health, albeit wet and tired, the crew took it to North Hill and released it.

Volunteer helmsman Adam Bonar said: "we get called to a wide range of incidents but this was one of the more unusual. The deer proved quite tricky to recover and didn't seem overly appreciative of its trip in a Lifeboat".