Hairspray being used to deter deers from eating graveyard flowers

By Chris Bishop

Parishioners are using hairspray to stop Muntjac deer from eating floral tributes left at a village cemetery.

Locals in Marham, near Swaffham in Norfolk, have complained the deer have been tucking into flowers laid on graves.

Parish council chairwoman Valerie Inder said they decided to lay flowers sprayed with hairspray and citronella to deter the animals.

She added bouquets were observed daily, to see whether the sprays put off the deer alongside a separate untreated bunch.

Inder said: "We were pleased to find that the control bunch were enjoyed by the Muntjac, but the bunch coated in hairspray remained intact for the entirety of the trial.

"Citronella oil initially functioned as an effective deterrent.

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"However, its effectiveness diminished after a few days, resulting in the flowers being consumed."

She added people laying tributes would now be advised to spray them to prolong the life of the flowers and put off the deer.

Muntjac are a non-native species of deer which come from Asia and have spread rapidly across the country since escaping from wildlife parks they were introduced to in the early 20th century.

The animals have become established on the fringe of many communities in Norfolk, where they have plagued allotment holders and gardeners by tucking into produce and flowers.

As well as causing problems for gardeners, Muntjac are also involved in up to a quarter of the estimated 70,000 road collisions involving deer which happen on our roads each year.

The cemetery at Marham contains the graves of both villagers and aircrew from the nearby RAF base, who have their own section.