Case against foxlacks evidence

I OPERATE a full-time fox deterrence service in London and I was intrigued to read your report of an alleged attack by a fox on a pensioner (News, August 30).

Your report mentions that this is the first time a fox has been known to attcak a human in Edinburgh.

In fact it’s the first time a fox has attacked a human anywhere in the world as far as my 30 years’ experience is concerned.

Firstly Mrs O’Shaughnessy says that she was going out at 11.30 pm to give a saucer of milk to her cat (cats should be kept in at night anyway) and later she suggests that she went out because she heard a "terrible racket outside and I thought my cats were being attacked". She added, "It was very dark and I saw a big shape on the pathway".

Next she says that she was on her way back into the house to put the hall light on so that she could see better when she was bitten.

The obvious questions are: did Mrs O’Shaughnessy put down the saucer of milk before she was bitten? Was the light on or off when she was bitten? Is Mrs O’Shaughnessy sure she didn’t get bitten in a cat fight?

In my opinion the story needs much more clarification.

John Bryant Humane Urban Wildlife Deterrence Tormount Road, Plumstead, London