Fox bites through Morden cabbie's brake cable (From Wimbledon Guardian)

Fox bites through Morden cabbie's brake cable

10:00am Tuesday 29th September 2009

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They have cut the brakes on his car, harassed his family through the night, and continue to squat on his property.

But one Morden cabbie has been told by authorities nothing can be done to stop his nemeses - red urban foxes.

Mechanics told Adam Sparkes of Cardinal Avenue he should alert police after discovering the potentially life-endangering damage to his car six weeks ago.

But the 37-year-old soon realised that one determined fox has it in for him.

He said: “The police came round to look at the damage but saw the teeth marks and agreed that all I can do is block off the bottom of cab.

“The council should set a trap or do something to get these foxes away. If I’m too tired to drive then it becomes an issue of my health and safety. I must have lost the best part of £1,000 in earnings.”

Despite claiming to have phoned council officers 34 times pleading for help, he has been told by letter that foxes cannot be touched “due to the potential threats against pest controllers from animal rights organisations”.

Mr Sparkes said: “It’s driven me absolutely mental and my wife is regularly in tears. If this was a comedy show, you couldn’t make it up. I’m even known as 'boom boom' up at the golf course, they all think it’s hilarious.”

Taking matters into his own hands, the dad-of-two has installed security cameras to try and catch the fox whose squeals in the night have kept him awake.

Merton Council’s cabinet member for environment and leisure services, Councillor David Simpson, said: “We sympathise with the problems Mr Sparkes is experiencing, but our policy with regards to the red urban fox is not to take action against the animal as it is part of our wildlife.

"We have advised Mr Sparkes on a number of occasions about how to deter foxes including ensuring any rubbish waiting for collection is properly contained."

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