An animal expert in Italy is claiming to have found proof of the existence of unicorns after he stumbled upon a young roe deer with a single horn growing from the centre of its forehead.

The 10-month old animal is part of a herd of deer that are otherwise equipped with two antlers at the Prato natural science centre in Tuscany.

''It's proof that the mythical unicorn celebrated in iconography and legends was probably not just a fantastic creature but a real animal: a deer or other species with an anomaly similar to that of our deer,'' said the centre's director Gilberto Tozzi.

Unicorns have been a fixture in mythology and art since pre-Roman times, often said to be solitary creature unless accompanied by a maiden, with horns that can be used to cure poisonings.

Christian writers promoted unicorns as symbols of Christ.

Marco Polo claimed to have spotted a unicorn on his travels, but from his description of an "ugly" animal wallowing in mud, it is believed he had stumbled upon a rhino.

Tozzi said his "unicorn" was shy. "Our deer may be aware that he is different as he doesn't allow himself to be seem very easily," he said.

The mother of the unusual deer was brought to the centre a few years ago after being hit and injured by a car in Italy's Apennine mountains.

