Don't feed deer - Chase rangers

Rangers on Cannock Chase have been forced to put up signs asking the public not to feed the park's wild deer, over concerns about the animals' safety.

The move follows several incidents of people feeding the deer unsuitable foods including peppers, bread, cocktail sausages and bacon which is not their natural diet.

Rangers at the Chase are worried people feeding the deer will make them tame and encourage the deer to approach humans and get closer to roads running through the park.

Families are thought to have been visiting the Chase at weekend and putting food down near roads where they can watch the deer.The rangers say these people are unaware of the problems this could cause to the deer population.

The signs have been put up at Coppice Hill as well as other problem areas.

Martin Hodgson, of Staffordshire County Council's ranger service, said: "The deer are wild animals and we don't want them to be eating things that they are not used to. The problem is that this might encourage the deer to come closer to humans no matter who they are and this might even include poachers."