Have you seen the roundabout deer at Barnwood?

DEER spotted on a roundabout in Gloucester are sending motorists into a spin.

The animals have been seen grazing on one of the busiest roundabouts in the county.

British Energy worker Laura O'Mahony managed to take a picture of one standing at the centre of the C&G roundabout at Barnwood, near to where she works.

"We were so surprised we went round again to check our eyes weren't deceiving us" said Laura.

The roundabout is at the junction of the A40 and A417 on the eastern side of Gloucester and huge numbers of traffic pass by every day.

But that doesn't seem to worry the deer.

Tracey Weygang, of Abbeydale, said she has seen several deer there.

"I couldn't believe it when I first saw them but I've been back and they are always there," she said.

"There are about three of them and I think they are only young.

"My husband has also spotted them, he works for the AA.

"I just hope they are not hit by a car."

When The Citizen visited the site yesterday, no deer could be found.

But their presence was confirmed by telltale droppings in the middle of the roundabout.

A C&G spokesman was not aware that any staff had seen the deer.

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust's head of reserves, Tom Burditt, said he was not surprised to hear of a sighting on the edge of an urban area.

"Nationally, deer are on the increase," he said.

"It's as a result of a new species, Muntjac, being introduced, and that there is less hunting and management of deer.

"They are very mobile at certain times of the year. It's coming up to the rut at the moment for roe deer and you tend to get males roaming around the countryside.

"They are not very picky about what they eat – young trees, hedgerows, flowers.

"They can jump a 6ft-high fence at full speed, they are no respecter of a normal gate or fence.

"They will cross a road, particularly if there is cover on both sides."

The deer in Mrs O'Mahony's picture does not appear to be of a muntjac but could be a fallow or roe deer. Fallow deer tend to roam more and Roe deer stand at around 3ft, he said.