A huge operation was launched when a reindeer escaped from a Christmas event - a local said quick actions meant 'Christmas was saved'

A reindeer escaped from a Christmas event, prompting a huge search by the coastguard, police and Royal Marines.

The animal was reported missing from a festive event in Formby, Merseyside, on Saturday. Merseyside Police officers had been tracking the reindeer, with towering antlers, until they lost sight of it when darkness fell in the evening. Officials then launched a huge rescue operation with the help of multiple teams, due to fears the animal could end up in the River Mersey.

The Southport Offshore Rescue Trust said it's quad team headed out with thermal binoculars to desperately help locate the lost animal. READ MORE : David Attenborough's

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