Foxes 'chewing through car brake cables' in new spate of attacks in Horsham

Residents in Cootes Avenue say that the animals are causing mayhem by chewing through their vehicle brake cables.

Local Councillor Christine Costin said: “The fox population in towns is growing at an alarming rate. Perhaps some of them have evolved to become brake fluid junkies.”

The attacks follow similar incidents reported by people in Horsham’s Spencer’s Road last year after they suffered what they described as ‘frenzied attacks.’

Now locals are turning to others on social media in a bid to find a solution to the problem.

One man in Cootes Avenue said that ‘numerous neighbours’ had reported damage caused by foxes and blamed an increase of the animals in the area on people putting out bowls of food for them.

Another said nearly £2,500 worth of damage had been caused to his car after both brake cables were chewed through.

Last year people in Spencer’s Road resorted to wrapping their vehicles in tarpaulins overnight to stop foxes getting beneath their cars after thousands of pounds worth of damage was also caused to vehicles there.

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However, some people are querying whether it could be rats or squirrels causing the problem – despite residents being adamant that it’s foxes.

Christine Costin said that a man in Greenway had reported foxes destroying his caravan. “It is worrying,” she said, but added: “It is a problem we have not encountered over the many years that foxes have been around our garden. I still find it hard to believe that foxes are running round blotto from drinking brake fluid.

"It’s a mystery. It’s bewildering. Rats might well chew through pipelines and maybe squirrels.”

But she urged people not to feed foxes which could lead to overpopulation in areas and prove a danger to the foxes themselves as many could end up hungry and ill.

Local authorities are not able to take action because foxes are not classified as vermin, but as wildlife.

Meanwhile, people have been suggesting the use of Jeyes fluid, garlic, chillies, ‘spiked matting’ and lighting to deter foxes from beneath vehicles.