Baby attacked by fox as mother lay asleep

A father told yesterday how a fox attacked his baby son at their home.

Peter Day, 44, from Dartford, Kent, said his partner, Susan Eastwood, 36, had fallen asleep on a sofa with 14-week-old Louis beside her when the fox entered the house through french windows and bit the baby. Alerted by the baby's screams Mr Day rushed into the room and chased the fox away. Louis was taken to Darenth Valley Hospital in Dartford suffering from four puncture wounds on his head and was kept in overnight.

Mr Day said the fox had returned a few days after the attack last Wednesday evening and he believed it presented a risk to babies and young children. "I want it caught and I want it destroyed," he said.

An RSPCA spokeswoman, advised people to supervise children near animals but said foxes did not present a safety risk because they generally avoid human contact.