Cricket club slammed for hiring marksman to kill fox

Dave Brooks, chief executive of Sussex County Cricket Club, said the incident was "unfortunate" but the club had no alternative as it had exhausted all other means of getting rid of the nuisance animal.

Residents living near the site in Eaton Road, Hove, called police after hearing shots fired in the early hours of Sunday but officers said no crime had been committed.

Mr Brooks said a number of them had since contacted the club to complain.

He said: "We had some people outside the club yesterday. One individual came onto the ground but was encouraged to leave before we had to take any further action.

"It's unfortunate really. It's upset a number of people. People have their opinions and they are more than welcome to share them in a respectful manner."

He added: "We've always had urban foxes around the ground but we've never had any issues before. This one was acting very strangely, scratching and digging holes.

"The club looked at other ways of getting rid of it, such as rehousing it, but none of them were suitable and we only carried this out as a very last resort to protect the premises."

Local resident Nigel Furness, 60, told a local newspaper the measure was too extreme.

He said: "They are completely harmless and destroy a great many pests like slugs and snails and we are absolutely appalled."

The ground is the oldest first-class county club in the country and is also home to the Sussex Sharks.