Reader, Malcolm Harris captured a rare encounter between a deer and a pheasant in his garden in Beech, near Alton, last week.

He said: “I am aware that Muntjac deer are fairly common in this area, but this encounter with a female pheasant in my garden is the first one I have seen, let alone photographed.”

Muntjacs and pheasants are not native to the UK, but settled here after being introduced from Asia.

According to the British Deer Society, Muntjac were brought from China to Woburn Park in Bedfordshire in the early 20th century. They are now widespread and increasing in number and range.

Deliberate releases and escapes from Woburn, Northamptonshire, and Warwickshire led to the establishment of feral populations.

Since then, movement and release by humans led to their rapid spread across south and central England and Wales.

Pheasants were introduced into Europe by the Romans, possibly arriving in the UK with the Normans in the 11th century.