A motorist who narrowly avoided crashing his car after swerving to avoid a deer is calling for action.

Thomas O’Connell is asking for warning signs to be erected alongside the A650 Aire Valley trunk road, at Marley. “That area is apparently known for deer wandering into the road and it is extremely dangerous,” said Mr O’Connell, 58, of Edensor Road, Keighley.

“Cars come along there at considerable speed. If you are suddenly confronted with an animal like that it’s frightening, and the consequences could be horrific.

“I instinctively swerved but fortunately it was quiet at the time and there was no other vehicle near me, otherwise I dread what may have happened. I could have been killed.”

He said he had spoken to the police and Bradford Council over the issue, but with no joy.

“I can’t imagine it would cost a huge amount to put up a couple of signs warning drivers about the presence of deer, and surely the Council has a duty of safety to the public,” added Mr O’Connell.

But Keith Escritt, the Council’s principal engineer, said: “We have wild animal warning signs on roadsides close to the St Ives Estate where there is a deer population, but we have not had particular issues with animals on the A650.

“If we do receive more reports like this one we will consider putting wild animal warning signs in place, particularly if the police highlighted a pattern of incidents, but have no plans to at present.”