The woman had been watching a herd of the animals crossing the road when one of them suddenly turned on her in the heart of Poland’s winter capital, Zakopane.

After being discharged from hospital where she undergone treatment for multiple injuries, the horrified woman said: “I suddenly I felt a strong impact. It hit me with its antlers once, then twice, and then knocked me to the floor.

“I can't accept that this happened to me in the city center. I wouldn't want something like this to happen to anyone else, especially a mother with a child in a stroller.

“Then it could have ended much worse.”

Attracted to the town by locals and tourists offering them food, the deer have overcome their natural fear of humans and are now venturing increasingly close to the city center.

In an effort to avoid another incident of wild animals harming humans, local authorities have now put up signs warning people of the risks of feeding the deer.

They are also considering additional legal measures to manage the presence of wildlife.