A TERRIFIED worker at Ringwood’s Tobin Brothers Funerals was forced to flee for her life after a rogue deer chased her into the chapel and ran amok through the funeral parlour.

The 250kg animal then rampaged through the centre on August 31 — causing an estimated $100,000 damage — before rangers shot it dead.

Tobin Brothers managing director James MacLeod said the chapel looked like a “horrific crime scene” and forced a funeral later that day to be rescheduled.

It came just days after a wild deer charged in front of cars on the Ringwood bypass.

Ringwood Sergeant Rick Fox said police got multiple calls about the deer on the busy four-lane road about 7am on August 29 but were unable to find it.

Over the years there have been several other close encounters with the animals — in October last year, a deer ran in front of a skateboarder along the Mullum Mullum Creek trail, and in August 2015, two Grade 4 students were injured when a deer ran through Mullum Primary School.

In the wake of the latest incidents, the Australian Deer Association called for a deer cull along Mullum Mullum Creek.

Association executive officer Barry Howlett said the animals were likely using Mullum Mullum Creek to come to Ringwood from Warrandyte.

“It seems to be happening once a year at the moment,” he said.

“We hadn’t heard of it up until a few years ago. It’s certainly a concern.”

Mr Howlett said the only option to prevent more close shaves in Ringwood was to heavily manage deer in the creek corridor and reduce numbers.

“We’d support a program based on a clear understanding on what you’re trying to do, whether it’s carried out by hunters or paid contractors,” he said.

“It’s difficult in that urban interface, but it can be done, you just have to be really clear on what you’re doing and have the resources to do it.”

Tom Whitty, spokesman for agriculture minister Jaala Pulford, said hunters could target deer on private land around the creek but would need a firearms licence and a permit from Victoria Police due to the proximity of houses.

Anyone wanting to shoot deer on public land needs authorisation from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

Mr Whitty said the State Government was working on a statewide approach to deer management.

“The development of this strategy, along with the findings of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Invasive Animals, are key inputs into a stronger effort to manage deer into the future.”

Victoria’s feral deer population is estimated at one million by the National Parks Association.