A CLEVER deer escaped the blazing sunshine by heading for a swim, only to get stuck in a swimming pool yesterday evening.

The Animal and Water Rescue team from Caversham Road fire station were called at around 7.40pm to Twyford.

After the homeowners unsuccessfully tried to encourage it out of the water, firefighters were deployed to London Road and managed to rescue the animal.

A spokesman for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "The homeowners had tried to coax the deer out of the pool, but when this proved unsuccessful, our firefighters responded and managed to free the deer from the pool.

"It is not every day that our firefighters would respond to a call like this one, but if there is a concern for the safety of the people involved then we will and in this case there was that risk."