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Police are investigating after a very unexpected item was left on a self-service checkout - a deer's severed head.

A man carrying the bloody head entered the 24-hour supermarket shortly after 1am.

Trails of the animal’s intestines were also found in one of the aisles.

The incident is being treated as criminal damage because the clean-up operation cost Tesco £300.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said a motive is not yet clear and appealed for witnesses.

She said: “We were called to a report that a deer head had been left on one of the self-service check-outs.

“Offal was left in one of the aisles. Officers are investigating the incident.”

The decapitated head was found in a Tesco store in Saffron Walden, Essex, at 1.15am on June 4.

Police attended the scene around five minutes later. Officers hope to examine CCTV footage in a bid to identify the man.

A spokeswoman for Tesco apologised for “any distress caused”.

She added: “This is a matter for the police and we are helping them with their investigation.”

Anyone with information is asked to call police at Saffron Walden on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.