A BABY deer that was stuck inside a garden has been reunited with its mother.

The RSPCA managed to rescue the young animal, which was spotted by a resident inside their garden in Petworth.

Animal rescue officer Marie Stevens did not know how the baby dappled deer managed to get inside the garden because it has an 8ft high deer-proofed fence. But she said it would have been very difficult for it to escape by itself.

She said: “The baby looked just like Bambi huddled up amongst the undergrowth and bluebells. I was almost expecting Thumper to emerge at any second.

The Argus: The RSPCA managed to rescue a kid from a garden and reunite it with it's mother.The RSPCA managed to rescue a kid from a garden and reunite it with it's mother.

“Thankfully, though, this story had a much happier ending than the Disney classic."

After the rescue, Marie made sure the baby deer was receiving all the proper care it needed. She also managed to track down its mother in a nearby field.

Marie said: “She was wet and cold. The caller had been monitoring her but reluctantly brought her inside to warm her up. I checked the local area and found a lone doe nearby in a field.

“She didn’t seem to want to leave despite me being around and I suspected she was Mum and was looking for her fawn.

“I carried the kid [baby deer] over to a sheltered spot nearby and left her for Mum to find, keeping everything crossed.

The Argus: The baby deer's mother.The baby deer's mother.

“The following morning, I returned and was absolutely thrilled to see that Mum had found the little one and they were back together grazing happily nearby.”

It is not uncommon for deer to leave their young by themselves for an extended period.

The RSPCA said anyone who sees a baby deer by itself should watch from a distance to see if the mother returns. If the mother does not return or is unable to reach their offspring, call the RSPCA emergency hotline on 0300 1234 999 for advice.