Foxs' hair affair

A hairdressing salon may have discovered a way to outfox our furry friends '“ human hair.

Sarah Papouis, co-ordinator at Anthony Michael, in Wallace Parade, Goring, said: "We had a client who came into the salon who wanted some hair. She said that it was to keep the foxes out of her garden."

According to Sarah, it proved so successful the woman returned for more.

"You don't need much, apparently, you just put some in a stocking and leave it around the border of the garden. Foxes have a very strong sense of smell and the odour of the hair bothers them."

She added: "I love foxes, so there is no way I would kick them out of my garden, but I read in the Herald that some people in Goring don't like them.

"We've got all this hair that we throw away so we thought we would put it to good use."

Trevor Williams, of the Tunbridge Wells-based Fox Project, said that he had never heard of the hairy solution and thought it may be an "urban myth". However, he did have an alternative suggestion.

"If you move your garden gnome from one side of the garden to another, it puts foxes off. They are creatures of habit and do not like change.

"But after a couple of weeks when they realise there is no danger they will be back."

Last week the Herald reported that some Goring residents were worried foxes might attack small children and cats. They said hedgehogs had disappeared and the foxes were leaving "mess" in their back gardens.

Trevor said the chances of a fox attacking a child or a cat were very slim.

He said: "Every week somebody is killed or badly injured by their dogs and nobody wants to cull them."

Billy Elliott, of Worthing and District Animal Rescue Service (WADARS), said the charity was losing support because of the bushy-tailed terrors.

"We had one couple come in to our charity shop and ask for us to get rid of the foxes from their garden. When we refused they withdrew their membership of WADARS.

"We are an animal rescue service. We can't just relocate a wild animal because it's an inconvenience."