Trials, tribulations and joy of caring for foxes

Robert Fuller's article (Country Week, August 14) was a delight and I love the fox pictures. For 10 years I have taken in sick and injured fox cubs. Fed, watered and treated for sickness.

I carry out a soft release, take them in from March onwards and release them, according to the weather, the moon and condition of the cubs, in September.

On August 26, I released this year's three. I had five last year (all now back to the wild). The PDSA, RSPCA and members of the public use me as an advisory service for any foxy problems (unpaid). I bring the foxes up on my pension; it is not cheap, nearly 1,000 last year for

five cubs.

I thought you would like to hear of a recent case. A woman phoned and said: "There are two cubs in our garden, both with their heads stuck in a rat poison box. What can we do?"

I asked her to see if her husband could open the box, but first to prepare for the foxes their old rabbit hutch and run. I also advised her to check for injures and to put dog food and water in the rabbit hutch area. This they did, after prising open the box. Neither cubs had injuries to the neck. The rabbit run had a drop-down door which I asked them to fasten to a clothes line and run it to the bedroom window. Both husband and wife sat upstairs well into the night until two foxes (a vixen and maybe the dad) crossed the road into the garden. The door was lifted by the rope in the bedroom window as the vixen approached and the cubs screamed with delight, little tails thrashing about.

The vixen licked the cubs and all four trotted off into the night. What a wonderful reunion. The couple who had found the cubs were elated and so was I.

From: Mrs Marjorie Crofts, Hollin Lane, Crigglestone, Wakefield.

From: Nita Chatham and Jack Chatham (aged four), York Road, Cliffe, Selby.

Further to Sarah Todd's column last week and the theft from the honesty box at her daughter's egg stall, I too am from a rural environment and have a grandson who runs an honesty box "shop" selling plants outside our house.

Fortunately, we have a CCTV fitted now. Before fitting the camera (in three days) we had plants stolen totalling 22. We caught one thief in the act, not your yob type but a women in her fifties, who we learned worked in a job requiring honesty (a care worker).

The next thief caught on camera was a man in his 40s who we had known for over 15 years and was also in a job where you are trusted by the public everyday to be honest.

Children pass by my house going to the local comprehensive school and sports grounds and not once have they attempted to steal from my grandson or vandalise or cause any form of mischief.

What a shame that children are distrusted when so-called trusted adults take what does not belong to them and get away with it. Shame on these people.

I sympathise with Sarah Todd's daughter, but please don't let the few rotten apples ruin the whole operation for her. I know it's sad to consider, but maybe Sarah should think about purchasing a WiFi CCTV camera (approx 40) and catch a few of the bad apples.

From: SR Clark, Misson, Bawtry, Doncaster.

MAY I add to your "machinery memories" (Country Week, September 11). My fondest memory of Fordson tractors was seeing 50 Fordson Power Major tractors in a convoy enter the yard of Nottinghamshire Crop Driers, the firm where I was employed as a driver of one of them. This was an annual event.

The tractors were driven down from the Peterborough Motor Company. We, the tractor drivers for the recipients, never knew much about the deal. This was a large grass and crop drying and arable farm empire owned by the late Frank Arden. The drying plants operated night and day, therefore the large fleet of lorries, tractors and machinery was essential to keep the crops flowing to the plant. The fleet of tractors the firm took delivery of cost 700 each. How times change. The year was 1958.

CW 9/10/10