A deer ran off a cliff and into the sea where it died- after being chased by a dog off lead.

The upsetting incident happened in front of horrified beachgoers at Burton Bradstock.

One witness said the beach was busy as crowds flocked to the coast to enjoy the warm weather.

They claimed the deer was chased by a dog which wasn’t on a lead. In panic, it ran off the cliffs at Hive Beach and into the sea where it drowned, much to the horror of onlookers including children.

A spokesman for the National Trust said: “We were made aware of this very sad and upsetting incident.

“We would like to remind everyone using this area to ensure they keep careful control of their dogs at all times.”