A FOX has been spotted with dead cat in its mouth as opinion is divided following a spate of attacks on family pets in Worcester.

Worcester appears to be very divided over foxes after we revealed that several family pets are believed to have been taken by foxes in the Blanquettes estate.

We have previously reported how foxes have made off with guinea pigs, chickens and even items of clothing including a woman’s boot, a flip flops and swimming goggles. One woman expressed concern that a baby could be attacked next.

Mother-of-two Laura Maddock has had four guinea pigs taken by foxes from the garden of her home in Addison Road, Worcester while Emma James of Blanquettes Avenue had one of the family guinea pigs – Rhino – taken last Monday (July 24).

Mrs James said they arrived home to find the hutch door in their back garden open and scratch marks on the wood.

The article drew a wide range of comments on both the Worcester News website and on our Facebook page.

One person who declined to be named also contacted us to say: "My work colleague saw a fox with a dead cat in its mouth by the dentists in Droitwich Road at 8am the other morning when she was in the bus stop so people need to be aware of this."

Jill Redmond, who lives on the Blanquettes estate, said on Facebook that she found one of her flip flops buried in the garden and the other was found by a neighbour. She believes they were taken by foxes.

Kim Aingel asked if the foxes could be relocated to the country. Steve Griffiths said foxes ‘run the streets round by Ambleside’ (Ambleside Drive, Warndon) and said the problem was ‘getting worse’.

Brandi Jones wrote: “Oh Worcester news, have some compassion. Think about what effect your stories have and what your intention is for writing such ridiculous nonsense. Stop stooping to such low levels. Shame! Shame! Shame!”

Lizzy Williams wrote in the website comments section: “Their habitats are being destroyed by all the development that is going on and they are being displaced.”

But Willing wrote: “They're just like the seagulls that have been allowed to invade out towns, looking for easy food. Foxes are vermin and needed to be controlled.”

Shunt.1 wrote: “These beautiful creatures are just trying to survive and feed their young just like every other animal on the planet does.”

BarneyBeagle wrote: “Unfortunately, people are making it incredibly easy for them by encouraging them into gardens. Foxes have no natural predators and there is plenty for them to eat without people encouraging them!”

One reader, Stan6754, said the Worcester New was ‘just a small town (sic) newspaper and that we needed to ‘get a grip’ after reporting that residents had told us of their fears a baby could be attacked.

Cor Blimey wrote: “I better not leave my daughter in the hutch anymore.”

CDH wrote: “Since fox hunting has been banned there is no way to control these vermin.”

However, liketoknow responded, saying fox hunting ‘belongs in the dark ages’.

Mama-Cuddles wrote: “Foxes are not vermin. Humans are vermin.”