Armed police, Royal Marines and the Coastguard have helped “save Christmas” after a reindeer went on the run in a seaside town.

The reindeer fled a festive celebration in the coastal town of Formby, Merseyside, in the early afternoon on Saturday, sparking a huge search operation.

The animal was eventually discovered on a beach, where it was located with thermal binoculars, before being returned to its owners in Wales.

A spokesperson for the Southport Offshore Rescue Trust, also known as Southport Lifeboat, said they received a call at around 4.45pm asking them to assist in the search for the escaped reindeer.

Merseyside Police, who had been searching for the deer for several hours by this point, had managed to track down the animal on Formby beach but lost sight of it.

They were worri

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