Temple Hill: Vermin suspected of attacking baby boy is killed

A FOX which is believed to have attacked a 14-week-old baby as he slept on a sofa in his Temple Hill home, has been shot dead.

The animal died after it was spotted creeping into the garden of the Shakespeare Road home by fox catcher Bruce Lindsay-Smith.

It was shot from a bedroom window by Mr Lindsay-Smith, who has run a pest control firm for 26 years.

The baby's father Peter Day, 44, says he is sure the dead fox is the one which attacked his son Louis.

Three weeks ago Louis was bitten four times on the head by a fox which crept in to the family home.

Unemployed Mr Day was terrified the creature would strike again because he kept returning to the garden every evening.

Then 10 days ago, Mr Lindsay-Smith contacted him to say he could deal with the bushy-tailed pest.

After failing to catch the fox in a trap, Mr Lindsay-Smith shot it last Thursday night. Its body has now been taken to Bristol University for research purposes. It is believed the fox could have been brain damaged.

Mr Day is relieved it is dead and says he is sure it is the same fox which attacked Louis as he recognised an injured back leg.

Mr Lindsay-Smith, who runs London and Southern Counties Pest Control and Wildlife Management Service and has a fire arms certificate for pest control, said: "I have been working in pest control for 26 years and when I read Mr Day's story, I said I would help out.

"The fox problem in London is getting worse. In the last year, my fox work has gone up from 30 per cent to 80 per cent."

Mr Day says the fox catcher was the last resort because the RSPCA could do nothing about the pest.

He said: "I am glad the fox is dead because it means he won't be able to hurt anybody else. It is definitely the one which attacked the baby because it looks as though it has been in a road accident."

An RSPCA spokesman said: "The RSPCA cannot shoot foxes. We wanted to carry out an autopsy to see whether the fox had any neurological problems but if My Day has said no that's up to him."

l Do you think Mr Day was right to bring in a pest control expert? Or was it cruel to kill an animal which was probably just frightened when it attacked? Send your email to mramsden@london.newsquest.co.uk

July 16, 2002 12:00