A DEER skull with antlers which was used as an educational tool to teach youngsters about wildlife has mysteriously disappeared from Abbeyford Woods, near Okehampton.
Alan Reid, a Forestry Commission area ranger was holding an educational courses in the woods with Okehampton Primary School pupils on Tuesday, September 9, when he noticed the disappearance.
Alan said the deer head and antlers, which is about three and a half to four foot in length, vanished sometime over lunchtime between showing two different groups of youngsters around the woods.
Alan said the aim of the sessions was to show children 'how to become nature detectives' and look out woodland wildlife.
The deer head was an essential part of Alan's woodland sessions, which he has been taking for three or four years.
He would create markings on a tree similar to those a red deer would make and then produce the skull and antlers from behind the tree to amaze the gathered children.
Alan described the moment of horror when he realised the deer head was not in it's usual place. 'I had about 30 children stood in front of me. I reached down to my right hand side and it had gone.
'Kids absolutely love it when I pull the deer skull with antlers out. They were just standing there looking disillusioned,' he said.
Alan said the educational workshops were still going on but were missing something as deer head and antlers provided the 'wow factor for children'.
Anyone who has any information about the whereabouts of the deer skull and antlers is asked to contact the Forestry Commission's area office at Cookworthy on 01409 221692.