Crashes involving deer and drivers are on the rise - and hotspots include the Chilterns and the Ashridge Estate near Dunstable.

A local tragedy highlighted the worrying problem, when an accident involving a deer led to the death of former Dunstable town councillor Sue Jones.

Now experts will gather at the Ashridge Estate for a national seminar on measures to try to reduce the deer-vehicle crashes.

According to the Chilterns Conservation Board, more than 30,500 road accidents involving deer were reported in Britain between 2000 and 2005.

That figure included 983 deer-vehicle crashes in the Chilterns, between 2003 and 2005.

It's likely that there were many other unreported accidents.

Sue Jones had been travelling back from Hemel Hempstead towards Dunstable when a deer smashed through her car windscreen.

She had been driving along the A4146 Main Road South near Dagnall at the time, in August 2005. She died later at Hemel Hempstead Hospital.

The Chilterns Conservation Board and its partners will host the seminar, Deer On Our Roads, on Tuesday, October 9.

This seminar will be held from 9.30am to 4.30pm at the Ashridge Business School, near Berkhamsted.

There will be presentations in the morning, and field trips in the afternoon to see measures in place.

Speakers will include Highways Agency principal environmental advisor Tony Sangwine; Dr Jochen Langbein, an expert on deer-vehicle accidents; and Graeme Cannon of the National Trust's Ashridge Estate.

The event is open to anyone interested. A £20 fee is payable per person to attend the seminar, which includes lunch.

For information and bookings, contact Donna Hunter at the Chilterns Conservation Board, on 01844 355504, or email dhunter@chilternsaonb.org.

The Chilterns