A deer has died after being chased by people on Cleethorpes beach, an animal welfare group has said.
Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue said the roe deer – one of several spotted on the beach on Monday, succumbed to exhaustion.
The charity said it was unclear whether people had been trying to assist, but added that the intervention had caused "unnecessary stress."
"It was a devastating end and one that could've been avoided," it added.
Commenting on the incident, the charity said that despite the efforts of the local beach safety team asking people to keep their distance, members of the public were seen chasing the deer.
One "exhausted" deer was later recovered, but despite receiving emergency care, "sadly died".
"Deer are extremely sensitive animals and can suffer from post-capture myopathy -a condition triggered by extreme stress that can, unfortunately, be fatal," it added.
In a post shared on social media, the charity said deer are "capable swimmers" and, in most cases, do not require intervention.
It added: "Unless a deer is collapsed, or stuck, the best course of action is to leave them undisturbed and unpanicked.
"The best approach is to allow the deer to return on their own – calmly and in their own time – which they regularly do without issue."
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