A school in the US had an unexpected visitor over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend when a deer jumped through a small window and knocked over items in a classroom before fleeing the building.

A man walking his dog at around 10pm local time on November 25 saw the young deer smash through a window at Cedar Grove Elementary School in Toms River, New Jersey, which is about 60 miles east of Philadelphia.

The man notified police and their subsequent search of the school was recorded by the officers’ bodycams.

When officers encountered the deer in a stairwell, the animal – which police have nicknamed Rudolph – initially charged at them as it ran down a hallway.

It then entered a classroom by opening a door that happened to be unlatched and jumped on to a bookshelf, scattering some items – but it did not cause any major damage.

The officers eventually used a dog snare to get the deer out of the classroom, and it soon fled the building the same way it got in.

Authorities said the animal did not appear to be seriously injured.

School staff boarded up the window and cleaned up after the deer’s escape.