OH DEER! Officials were barking up the wrong track when they believed that their prize-winning blooms were being destroyed by the traditional variety of vandal.

For the deer population on the edge of the giant Valley Park Estate, near Chandler's Ford, have been making dawn raids on the beautiful begonias which star in the roadside flower power show.

When the begonias went missing, North Baddesley Parish Council chairman Councillor Alan Dowden, pictured above, thought it was the dastardly deed of two-legged vandals.

But the mystery was solved when deer, who had wandered through the local woodland, were caught redhanded having a tasty meal from the

flower box at the junction of Castle Lane and Knightwood Road.

Councillor Dowden explained: "The man who waters the plants drove round the corner at about 6am. He was shocked when he saw two deer with their hooves resting on the edge of the flower box munching the begonias.

"It has happened in four boxes and they have been very selective, eating the begonias and leaving the geraniums and petunias.

"I have heard of deer liking roses but not begonias."

The flower boxes are part of a display which was launched by Hampshire's home-grown gardening goddess Charlie Dimmock.

Over the years the floral displays at Valley Park have reaped a huge crop of awards, including the prestigious Southern England in Bloom award.

The deer dawn raid on Valley Park's begonias comes hard on the heels of the Daily Echo story which revealed how two roe deer were captured on film sunbathing in a Warsash back garden.

They were seen nibbling the grass and wildlife experts believe that like the fox, deer are venturing into suburban areas in the hunt for food.

Councillor Dowden added: "We have got lots of deer in the woodlands around here. They have the right to be here. After all, they were here before the development and it is their habitat."

He is relieved that it was not the work of two-legged vandals and that the deer struck when the flowers were getting past their best as it comes towards the end of the season.

He said: "I would have been very upset if it happened in June or July when the judging takes place."

But he will be monitoring the situation. A classic case of deer stalking!