Two deer were spotted roaming the maternity ward of a south-western hospital as laughter is heard in the background.
The incident happened in the early hours of Monday at Plymouth’s Derriford Hospital after the animals broke in through an open back door.
“Two deer managed to get into the corridor on Level 5 in the early hours of Monday morning, the deer were inside for three minutes and were gently encouraged to leave by members of staff,” a statement read from the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.
"Cleaning teams were then called to sanitise the corridor. The animals did not and could not go into clinical areas or wards and did not come into any contact with patients.”
Not every day you see a couple of Deer running down the corridors of Derriford Hospital 🦌 pic.twitter.com/vyCElwvZ0e
— Element Miller (@miller_element) July 24, 2023
A video posted on social media has been seen thousands of times.
“Not every day you see a couple of Deer running down the corridors of Derriford Hospital,” Element Miller wrote on Twitter.
“We have an opening in the neurology department they would be perfect for,” one commented in response.
Sue Handford added: “Are they checking the route for Christmas?”
Another said: “Imagine being off ya head on painkillers on a ward and a deer runs in… You’d think you’re tripping!”
Deer are a regular sight around the south-west and have reportedly been seen around the hospital before.
The statement added: “Those who live near Derriford will know that deer are no strangers to the surrounding areas.
“The deer accessed via a door that had been left open and we would remind staff and visitors to please close doors behind them and not to feed the deer as they are wild animals and shouldn’t be encouraged within a busy hospital setting.
“We will be monitoring that entrance and increasing our security patrols at night to ensure the deer do not try and visit again.”
