PUPILS upset by the shooting dead of a wild stag on school grounds have met police liaison officers.
A police armed response unit shot the large stag at Antrim Grammar School on Tuesday.
After several attempts were made to safely and humanely manage the animal, police said officers had no alternative.
"Regrettably, after consultation with the vet working with officers at the scene, we were required to shoot the stag as it had become very agitated and posed a risk to the public," a spokesman said.
Principal Hilary Woods said pupils were distressed.
"The animal was judged to be dangerous by the animal welfare experts and we were asked to keep pupils indoors for their own safety," she said.
"We were informed that the stag had been put down after attempts to tranquillise it failed. Pupils and staff are saddened by the final outcome but this was handled by the animal welfare experts and PSNI officers."
Animal experts largely agreed there was little option but to kill the stag.
Greg Kayne, chairman of the British Deer Society in Northern Ireland, said professionals on the ground would have made a risk assessment which would have focused on public safety.
Wildlife rescuer Debbie Nelson said deer were the most nervous and dangerous wild animals to attempt to handle.
"They suffer highly from stress and trying to tranquillise a highly strung panicking deer is in most cases very difficult and not the appropriate answer as when they are darted they panic and do serious damage. It could have likely killed or maimed someone," she said.
