A REAL-LIFE Bambi orphaned after her mother was shot in the face is being nursed back to health by an animal sanctuary.

The one-week-old fawn was discovered next to her dead mother in woodland.

The baby roe deer was taken to Wildlives rescue centre in Thorrington where she is being hand-reared by volunteers.

Owner Rosie Catford said: “Her mother would have died extremely slowly and painfully.

“Luckily a member of the public discovered her fawn to us. If he hadn’t found her she would have been susceptible to predators or have died of starvation.

“Hopefully we will get her fit and healthy so she can be released.”

The baby deer weighs just 1.8kg or 4lbs and is less than 1ft tall. Staff have named her Gisele after the supermodel.

Rosie said: “She is the prettiest little thing you have ever seen, but she’s all legs.”

Gisele has been making friends with a rescued five-month-old muntjac deer at the centre.

“They have already become best buddies and hopefully he will start showing her the ropes,” said Rosie.

“Gisele is used to feeding off mum and we are having to get her used to being bottle-fed which isn’t easy.”

Once she is stable staff hope to move Gisele to a deer rescue centre at Ashdown Forest in Surrey where she will be released back into the wild after about ten months.