A wildlife photographer and a cider maker have joined forces to capture a wonder of nature.

Diss Mercury: Deb Woolley, cider maker at Harleston Cider Co makes its cider at Palgrave with wooden crates holding 250g of apples for processing, and some apple waste Picture: RUTH COMERDeb Woolley, cider maker at Harleston Cider Co makes its cider at Palgrave with wooden crates holding 250g of apples for processing, and some apple waste Picture: RUTH COMER (Image: Ruth Comer)

Shy deer can be hard to photograph, but wildlife artist and photographer Lilly Violet Adams came up with the idea of spreading leftover apple pressings around trees so she could get close enough to photograph and later paint them.

Harleston Cider Co, which make award-winning cider at Palgrave, near Diss, agreed to provide some of its apple pressings.

MORE - Malt market on rise as distillery businesses boomFallen apples are part of the deer's natural diet during the autumn and a source of additional nutrient during the winter months.

In a typical apple pressing, master cider maker Ken Woolley oversees production as about 1.5 tonnes of local apples is pulped, leaving about half a tonne of apple waste once the juice is removed for cider production.

The company uses the natural sugar and natural yeast in apples to ferment real cider. Four standard ciders are produced ranging from 4% to 6% ABV. It also produces a spicy, aromatic vinegar and a dessert cider called Ice Cider, similar to a dessert wine but made from apples.