WARNING – GRAPHIC IMAGES: Rod Savage, 67, was strolling with his friend through a nature spot in Cheshire when he was charged at by a stag – he suffered a ‘knife-like wound’ and two broken ribs
A grandfather was left with two broken ribs after he was attacked by a rogue stag while walking towards a UK beauty spot.
Rod Savage, 67, recalled how he “curled up” to protect himself and “played dead” to stop the animal mid-attack. He was walking through Tatton Park, Cheshire, with his pal Danny McNicholl when they suddenly spotted the stag just 300 yards from the entrance.
Before they had time to react, the wild animal locked eyes with them and charged towards Rod at around 5pm on Tuesday. He said it resembled an “old-fashioned cowboy movie” and he was left with a “knife-like wound”. Luckily, Danny was eventually able to distract the stag with a branch.
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Speaking about the terrifying moment, Rod said: “It all happened fairly quickly. The stag was looking at me and I was looking at it. I was very aware of its antlers. It was a bit like an old-fashioned cowboy movie – I knew it wasn’t going to end well. The next thing I knew, it charged and lifted me off my feet, knocking me to the floor. I curled up to protect myself and played dead.
“Danny was brilliant. He remained calm and waited for an opportunity to distract him by lobbing a branch. That startled him and he moved off. If I’d been on my own, I dread to think what could have happened. Danny saved my life.”
Rod managed to stagger back to the entrance with Danny’s help. He said: “There was a lot of bleeding, but the park rangers at Tatton were brilliant and patched me up.” He was taken to Macclesfield Hospital, where doctors feared the attack may have pierced one of his vital organs – but he was lucky.
Rod said: “I was punctured on the left side of my stomach. It was a very deep knife-like wound. The antlers caught my arm and whacked my leg – but it could have been much worse.” He described the hospital staff’s surprise at the story, with some saying they’d never heard of anything like it happening before.
A scan confirmed he had suffered two broken ribs. Doctors kept him in hospital overnight as they feared they may have to take him into theatre. But the following day, the wound was cleaned and stitched under local anaesthetic and he was discharged. It is understood the heightened aggression of the stag was due to the approach of the rutting season and the summer heat.
Rod, who works for green energy company Altilium Clean Technology, said: “Because of all the dry weather, there is very little grass and a real shortage of food. Acorns are falling off the trees early and the stags are desperately foraging in the area where we were walking.”
He warned others visiting the park to take care: “I see so many mums and children walking there. It’s a beautiful place but you’ve got to be respectful of the warning signs. This isn’t Bambi, these are wild animals. Stick to the road. Don’t be looking at your phones. Be ultra careful. We were just two blokes out for a walk, a few beers and a curry – and look what happened.”
Rod, whose daughter Maddie is expecting her second child this week, said: “They’ll be telling my new grandchild that I was attacked by a stag days before the birth.” A spokesperson for Tatton Park said: “As you enjoy the beautiful scenery in the parkland, please remember to keep at least 50 metres away from the deer.
“Do not attempt to touch or feed these animals. They are wild, unpredictable, and can become aggressive, especially during the autumn rut from September to November.”