Herds of deer have been spotted roaming around the streets of London during the very hot and dry weather we've had - and residents say they're worried.
With weeks of lower-than-average rainfall in the South East of England, including record-breaking temperatures that saw fires destroy homes, locals who have spotted the deer in East London are concerned that they are "starving".
Residents living in Harold Hill in Havering, East London, said they were "shocked" to see herds of deer wandering around front gardens and other parts of the neighbourhood on Saturday (July 23).
One woman who lives in Harold Hill said she was "shocked" at first, then "pleased" to see the deer so close to the built-up area, reports My London.
But other residents were less pleased at the rare sight, conscious that the deer had probably only strayed so far from their natural habitat out of desperation.
"They're starving - the grass has all dried up, so they've come into town looking for food," advised one person, as a second agreed the animals must be "desperate for food in the drought."
A wedding photographer who was delivering photos to a client in Harold Hill took the opportunity to photograph the deer.
Danny Jackson told MyLondon: "There is a woods nearby but I’ve never noticed them so far into the estate before. I presume the recent heatwave has dried up their usual grazing areas and so they had ventured further in."
The photographer added: "I spent some time following them as they travelled from garden to garden. At one point they entered a garden with several rose bushes and they ate all the roses."
It isn't the first time deer have been spotted around Harold Hill. Herds of the animals were seen relaxing in gardens in the area in April 2020, during the coronavirus lockdown.
Residents have urged drivers in the area to be careful, as the deer have been known to run out in front of cars in the past.
