A village is allegedly under siege from a violent gang of deer months after residents voted against culling the herd.
More than 20 deer have moved in on Kinlochleven near Fort William in Lochaber, Scotland, and are said to have begun to "intimidate" the community.
A lone stag arrived four years ago before slowly attracting hinds and the wild animals eventually started wandering the streets and local parks.
In January a proposal to kill off the herd was vetoed, with villagers arguing they could learn to live side by side with the new settlers.
The village used to house a giant aluminium smelting works but now much of its economy is supported by tourists walking the West Highland Way, with many encouraged to visit to see the deer up close.
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But the decision appears to have backfired with reports of a dog being bitten earlier this month and people being chased by the deer as they grow in confidence.
The Kinlochleven Community Trust, which owns most of the open space around the village, is working with NatureScot, the government agency, Highland council and landowners to find a solution.
Trust chairman Steve Connelly said life has "been made too easy" for the animals with residents often feeding them, which has meant they stayed over summer.
He said they are now "reliant and quite unhealthy".
"The deer have begun to intimidate the community, he said, and a dog was bitten by one," he told the Sunday Post.
“What’s happening now is the deer are losing their fear of people and domestic animals and in some cases they actually intimidate and in one case attack people and pets."
Mr Connelly went on to say the "only way we are going to get rid of them...is by holding a cull".
As well as their violent outbursts, he said they also scatter excrement in local play areas and carry large amounts of ticks.
Betty Green, in her 80s, was among the villagers to object to the cull earlier this year.
She claims to have heard two shots fired in the middle of the night and saw a hind and two fawns scatter.
Soon after the carcass of a stag was dragged away by apparent hunters.
Betty, who has lived in the village for many years, said the stag was "beautiful" and was one she had "got to know personally" over a long period of time.
She added: "This is not an acceptable thing to do in a built-up area like this."
Reiki therapist Debbie O’Hara said killing off the deer would be “outrageous” and such wildlife should be expected by residents.
She argued better deer fencing could be restored and warning signs erected encouraging against feeding the animals as a non-violent solution.
Mr Connelly is planning a meeting in an effort to thrash out a new solution.
Between 750,000 and one million deer exist in Scotland, but some experts claim they threaten the regeneration of woodlands, according to the Post.
Around 100,000 are culled each year.
