Deer kills hunt man

A charging deer has killed a 62-year-old man working as a beater at a hunt in the Oise, police have said.

The man, who was not armed, had been flushing game for others to shoot in the forêt de Compiègne, near Saint-Sauveur, when he was gored by a young stag's antlers, and died at the scene before help could arrive, a spokesman for the Picardy gendamerie said, confirming reports in local newspaper Courrier Picard.

It has been reported that the victim also followed the Futaie des amis hunt crew, who have been banned from hunting for one month after another deer was shot dead in the garden of a private property in Lacroix-Saint-Ouen.

An investigation has been opened into the incident.