'Scared for my life': Father-of-two attacked by angry Highland stag and taken to hospital

A man feared for his life and was left needing stitches after being attacked by a Highland stag, which plunged its antlers into his thigh.

Glen Wilkinson, 56, let his dogs out to a play in his seven-acre garden in rural Kishorn, in north-west Scotland, as usual around 9:30am on November 14.

Glen Wilkinson (right) was gored by the stag. Picture: SWNS/NationalWorld | SWNS/NationalWorld

But as soon as they ran out they immediately gathered in one corner, where Mr Wilkinson spotted a Highland stag tangled in his fencing.

Mr Wilkinson walked over to try to help free the stag to prevent it being injured - but the buck charged at him and plunged his antler into the man’s thigh.

He was knocked to the ground by the six-foot animal, and had to grab both its antlers and hold them steady to prevent another blow.

Two wild stags in Glen Wilkinson's garden. The one on the right was the stag that charged him. Picture: Glen Wilkinson/SWNS | Glen Wilkinson/SWNS

The father-of-two said he feared for his life, until his friend, Martin Whitehead, 56, ran over to cut the wire fencing and free the animal, which then ran away.

Mr Wilkinson, who was left in a pool of blood, was taken to the nearest hospital, Broadford, on the Isle of Skye. He needed ten stitches to close the 7cm gash on his leg and stem the bleeding, as well as a tetanus injection.

The builder said: "The stags come into my garden all the time and they're normally good as gold - I've never had issues before. But this one had got its antlers caught on the fencing. He was thrashing about and I thought he'd end up injuring himself.

"He went still and I thought he'd tired himself out, but then he charged me and took me off my feet. I was scared for my life. Whenever I let go of his antlers to try and untangle him, he'd try to go for me again.

"It felt like it went on for an eternity. It was only after the stag had gone that I tried to stand up and realised I was covered in blood. I dropped my trousers and there was a hole in my leg."

Glen Wilkinson's leg wound after being charged by a stag on his property in rural Kishorn. Picture: Glen Wilkinson/SWNS | Glen Wilkinson/SWNS

Mr Wilkinson recalled the animal being panicked and said he thought he should help to prevent it being injured.

He said: "He was uprooting the fencing and trailing it down the garden - even pulling out the posts. So I went over to see if there was anything obvious I could do to help.

"He lowered his head at one point and I thought he was tired, so I got closer for a better look. That was when he took his chance to go for me."

While on the ground, Mr Wilkinson had to grab the stag's antlers to prevent any further strikes. He said: "He was stronger than I thought."

After a couple of minutes of wrestling, Mr Wilkinson’s friend came to the rescue with wire cutters. The second the stag had been freed from the fencing, it ran off.

That was when they realised the extent of Mr Wilkinson's injuries.

Glen Wilkinson. Picture: Glen Wilkinson/SWNS | Glen Wilkinson/SWNS

He said: "By then, the adrenaline was beginning to wear off and my leg was aching a lot. Before then, I was too intent on holding its antlers to feel the pain."

The builder’s daughter Alex Wilkinson, 26, drove her father to the hospital, where he had ten stitches to close the wound. Now back on his feet, Mr Wilkinson said he was bruised, but healing.

He said: "I've since found out you're not supposed to help a stag when it's tangled for this reason. I don't blame the stag - he was probably as scared as I was. He didn't know I was trying to help him.

"Now I know, I won't be doing it again."