A man has warned parents not to leave their children unattended in the garden after he jousted with a fox in his home.

Peter Outen, of Scotby Avenue, Walderslade, was confronted by the animal in his kitchen on Friday night.

“I had left open the patio and kitchen doors to let some air into the house when there was a loud crash in the kitchen,” said Mr Outen.

“I was sitting in my lounge but found the fox had pulled over my pedal bin looking for food.

“I shouted at it thinking it would make a bolt for the back door but it just stared back at me and carried on with its search for food.”

Undetterred Mr Outen took the battle to the beast.

“I then threw two sofa cushions at it, scoring directs hits with both,” he said.

The fox was unperturbed.

“It stayed in the kichen and continued to stare at me.

“I then armed myself with a stiff bristle garden broom and a blanket which I used as a bullfighter’s cape for self protection.

“We jousted around the kichen for a minute or so until I was able to hook the broom under its belly and eject it.”

Throughout, the fox did not snap or snarl.

But Mr Outen said: “A lot of women have their babies in the garden. They should be aware not to leave them alone.”

As for his close encounter with the orange raider he said: “It wasn’t terrifying. It was simply amazing. The fox literally sat there and stared at me.”

The news comes only a short time after twin girls were attacked in their homes in London by a fox.

There have been reports that the local fox population is rapidly expanding, with more urban foxes being seen and heard.

Mr Outen said: “We seem to have a new breed of fox that clearly has no fear of we humans.”

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