ANIMAL carers are celebrating a double victory after two orphaned fawns took their first steps towards life in the wild.

The young deer, who were rescued separately in June, were brought into Secret World Wildlife Rescue in east Huntspill.

After being hand reared in the months since by animal carer Josie Nott, the fawns, named Devon and Angus, have been released back into the wild.

"When I first saw little Devon she was so skinny I didn’t think she’d survive," said Josie.

"At first I was feeding them every couple of hours, day and night, with a lamb milk replacement.

"They also had browse right from the start – that’s natural vegetation they would eat in the wild, like willow and rose and grated apple.

"People might be surprised to know that we gave them a bowl of soil too.

"In the wild they eat soil from very young, for the minerals.

"After a few weeks we moved them to a secure outdoor enclosure, and they stopped bottle feeding at around three months old as I gradually increased their solid food."

Devon, the ginger, fawn, rescued after her mother was killed by dogs.

She joined Angus, a fellow fallow, who was discovered a few days before, abandoned in a ditch with steep banks at just four days old.

"It’s really important that they have company as they are difficult to rear and they do much better together," added Josie.

"I live on site at Secret World so I was able to give them the care and attention they needed.

"It’s important to have a close bond with them and develop trust, so I was their main carer although I have had some help.

"Fallow fawns follow their mothers everywhere, so they tended to follow me around when I was in their pen.

"This does mean they could feel a bit stressed when I left them, as they are not used to being left alone in the wild."

The pair were released at four months old.

"We found a wonderful site for them where they have the run of a large wooded paddock," said Josie.

"This is why we wildlife rescuers do what we do.

"All the hard work and sleepless nights have been worth it to see Angus and Devon take this big step towards life in the wild where they belong."