Fox entranced by child in a pen (From Evesham Journal)

Fox visits child's garden in Tolladine, Worcester

5:58pm Wednesday 4th July 2012 in News

ROALD Dahl wrote about a fantastic fox who would steal chickens by night, but this cunning creature would rather catch a glimpse of little Lydia Dimmock at play.

The inquisitive cub was already a regular visitor to the Dimmock family’s garden in Tolladine, Worcester, when the seven-year-old Nunnery Wood Primary School pupil went for her first bounce on her new trampoline – and mum Zillah caught the moment on camera.

Mrs Dimmock said Lydia had even named the cheeky creature Foxy Loxy.

She said: “A couple of weeks ago, on the morning of Lydia’s seventh birthday, we took her out to bounce on her new trampoline and it came and watched.”

Even though the fox appears unusually tame, the Dimmocks have warned Lydia it is a wild animal and always stay with her when she plays outside.

“We do allow her to enjoy such an amazing encounter from the safety of her trampoline, which has an enclosure, and we stay near her to ensure the fox doesn’t get too cheeky. The fox takes great interest in Lydia. I think her laughter may even attract it to come and take a look. She enjoys the fox visiting and it does not mind the noise at all – he just watches her, walks around the garden, washes itself and digs about.”