A STAG which entangled its antlers in a rope swing was rescued by Hampshire firefighters, the RSPCA said today.

The animal charity was alerted to the distressed stag caught up in a rope which had been hung from a tree.

RSPCA inspector Sara Jordan called in help from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service which scrambled its animal rescue officers to the scene on May 10.

Watch manager Anton Philips used a long pole to place a towel over the stag's eyes to calm down the animal which was throwing itself around in a distressed state when approached.

When the animal had calmed, RSPCA chief inspector John Harrod, assisted by fire service watch manager Colin Harwood, was able to cut the rope, allowing the stag to walk off uninjured into adjacent woodland.

Ms Jordan said: ''This was a fairly dangerous rescue for everybody concerned as the stag was full grown and his antlers could have been lethal.

''He was also kicking out and could well have injured himself or even broken his neck, so the teamwork of the RSPCA and Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service was vital for the animal's safe release.

''The rope swing was probably intended for child's play but rescuing a stag that got accidentally caught in it was anything but.''

She added that the rope swing, in a field in Green Lane, Rotherwick, Hook, was then cut down to prevent other wild animals becoming caught up in it again.