Stag causes $1K of damage to man’s van after charging into it

By Jake Meeus-Jones

A white van man says a stag caused $1,280 of damage to his Ford Transit after it charged into his bumper.

Chris Ivemey, 37, was passing through Woburn Abbey Deer Park on his way to a job in Milton Keynes when he and his colleague, Max, 23, spotted two stags on either side of the road.

Initially thinking the two stags were gearing up for a rut, they decided to record in anticipation.

With rutting season - a period where male deer are more likely to clash - in full swing, Chris was cautious about getting too close to the stags and decided to slow down.

Just as he thought they were in the clear, the stag on the passenger side suddenly turned and bowed his head.

It charged towards Chris' van and dented his front panel with its antlers.

The stag - which is the UK's largest land mammal - then went back for more but Chris managed to evade a second battering.

The "shocked" pair said they went for a coffee to mull over what happened and admitted they were a bit "shaken up" by it.

Chris, a property maintenance worker, from Watford, Hertfordshire, said: "We were shocked.

"The stag has charged head down straight at the van and the front left panel above the wheel was completely demolished.

"It then charged at us again and started running after us - we drove off in a state of shock.

"The van isn't fixed yet but it's going to cost around $1,000 to fix - it was definitely an experience.

"We weren't injured but Max was a bit shaken up - it's hit me in the pocket though.

"Wildlife can be very random."