Deer rescued from the River Cam in Cambridge

Omar Terywall, known for his work reuniting bicycle owners with their bikes via the Stolen Bikes in Cambridge Facebook group, was helping out yet again this morning (Wednesday, June 2) as he assisted in the rescue of a deer from the River Cam.

The owner of Cambridge Rowing Experience, Omar was the cox in a rowing boat at around 5.30am, when he saw others trying to rescue what he first thought was a giant rat which had got stuck in the river.

He says: "It was myself and various others... I tried to help but I couldn't quite get it to land. There was somebody there on the bank who was walking alongside and trying to lift it up by the scruff of the neck.

"I managed to get it in the boat but it escaped from my clutches after a couple of minutes and then back in the river - but it was only in the water for another few minutes before it was brought to safety."

Omar says the boat was just opposite the Common, past the Chisholm Trail bridge heading towards The Plough when he and the other eight people in his boat saw the animal.

"One or two people mistook it for a giant rat to begin with, because of course all you could see was the head bobbing up and down, so on the way back we recognised it as being a Muntjac dear and decided to spin the boat and try and help.

"After a few attempts we managed to get the boat there. It stayed there for a few minutes, desperately trying to get out my hands. It fell back in the river, unfortunately, but was then quickly plucked out after a few minutes. It disappeared very shortly after."

For more on Cambridge Rowing Experience, visit rowingincambridge.co.uk.

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Stolen Bikes in Cambridge group helps reunite more than 100 owners with their bicycles

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