Wild boar can be aggressive if threatened

The animal, which was hit by a car, was at first thought to be one that escaped from a Cinderford abbattoir in January.

But experts say it is not the same boar and may be from a herd known to inhabit woods a few miles away in Ross-on-Wye.

Wild boar were hunted to extinction in Britain 300 years ago, but escapees from commercial farms have established new colonies.

The prospect of free-roaming herds returning to area is of some concern to Forest Enterprise, which manages the local woodlands.

Wild boar can cause a lot of damage to trees and can be aggressive if threatened.

Rob Guest from Forest Enterprise said: "There probably won't be much danger to yourself as these animals are quite shy and would probably run away.

"But if an uncontrolled dog became tangled with a boar, that's where the potential for problems would lie."