I read your letters on page 21 last week. Both "fox lovers and fox haters" have lost their objective judgement. I know from experience that fox cubs and vixens can be appealing in their natural habitat.

Sadly, the fox is part of nature’s "vermin community" As a young person I witnessed the death of over 20 chickens by a fox at night in a "secure" hen house!

Often nature provides predators to maintain balance in any chain but no such regulator exists for the fox; where it fails mankind must intervene, examples of which are the mosquito in Africa or even the rabbit in the UK.

I am not advocating fox hunting or the introduction of infection. In a civilised society intervention should be humane but it is necessary, witness the Black Death! Not to do so is cowardly and certain to lead to disaster where "extremist" advocacy will win.

Dr Brian Blunden OBE
Harriotts Lane
Ashtead