Protest calling for relocation of Clissold Park’s deer herd

Animal-lovers staged a protest outside Clissold Park’s deer enclosure on Saturday, calling for relocation of its seven-strong herd.

Holding up banners saying, “Free the Clissold Park animals,” the supporters of campaign group Clissold Park Zoo Watch handed out leaflets to passers-by.

Participant Graham Turnbull, said: “We made a good few people think about something that they had always taken for granted: “Should there be deer in Clissold Park?”

Three deer died in the park within the space of six months, and the group want the deer to be re-homed to a more suitable location, where they would have better pasture, more space and be less stressed from park visitors and dogs - following deer vet John Fletcher’s recommendations three years ago.

Mr Turnbull has set up a page on social networking site Facebook, under the guise of one of the bucks, Stanley Stagg.

He wanted to promote the idea of moving him to 170 acres of parkland at Waltham Abbey’s Royal Gunpowder Mills, where two other bucks from the herd were relocated last year.

Mr Turnbull has written to councillors, council staff, and deer vets Peter Green and John Fletcher about the deer, and posted their replies on Stanley’s page.

“The council view is that this is a temporary problem, and once the new enclosure is in place we’ll all be able to sleep soundly in the knowledge that the deer are safe once again,” he said.

The new deer enclosure, currently being built as part of the park’s �9m Heritage Lottery Fund revamp, should be ready by next month.