The severed head of a deer was discovered outside a church in Lyndhurst, located in the New Forest, on Wednesday 15th January.

A member of the public came across the gruesome scene in the church’s porch.

Accoridng to The BBC, the head was promptly removed, and the area was cleaned shortly thereafter.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern in the New Forest area.

In recent years, there have been several unsettling discoveries, including the head of a deer and an upside-down wooden cross found on a memorial stone in Burley in May.

In 2021, a deer’s head was also discovered among goods at a church food bank.

Additionally, in November 2019, an inverted cross and the number "666" were painted on the door of St Peter's Church in Bramshaw, which dates back to the 12th century.

There were also reports of sheep being slashed and marked with a pentagon symbol in a nearby village.