AN animal-lover in Stroud is on a mission to capture a fox to free it from the tube piping around its neck.

The fox, which Hannah Basson has named Tube Neck because of the drainpipe, has had the piece of plastic around its neck for at least three months.

Stroud News and Journal:

But despite Hannah’s efforts to catch it to take it to a wildlife charity to have the tubing removed the fox has so far out-manoeuvred her best laid plans.

“Vale Wildlife Rescue, who have said they will remove the piping, have lent us a trap,” Hannah said.

“Unfortunately, this fox is very timid and will not go in to the trap whereas other foxes and the badgers are happy to do so.

“The plan is that once Tube Neck has gotten used to the trap, we can stay up scaring off any other animals until he is safely captured.

“His visits, however, have become more and more elusive and we are not really progressing with the trap idea.”

Hannah is calling for anyone else who might have seen the fox to share information about the fox’s nightly escapades.

In the hope of making catching it easier she wants to find out where its den is and what routes it takes.

“It may be of some help if others who have spotted this fox in their gardens could let us know so we can work out the areas he frequents,” she said.

“We would be grateful if people living at the top end of the town centre, Lower Street area that have spotted Tube Neck could pass on their contact details to us via the Stroud News and Journal.”