The curious incident of the fox in the shoe shop

This article claims there are 10 foxes per square km in London. Wonder
what criteria they are using. From my observations the concentration
is a good deal higher!

The curious incident of the fox in the shoe shop
Last updated at 09:37am on 24th January 2007

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A fox wandered into a shoe shop - and spent an hour in the store.

The vixen seemed entirely unruffled among the trainers and high heels
of the shop in Portobello Road, west London.

It had followed a shopper into the Office store and wandered around
the footwear, before leaping onto the window display and settling down
among the trainers.

Shop manager Sarah Adeyemi said: "Nobody even noticed him when he
first walked in because he was just trotting along behind a woman and
a pram minding his own business.

"The shop was quite busy, so it wasn't long before he was spotted, and
then there was a real commotion.

We had lots of people in the middle of trying on shoes who started
shrieking and ran out into the street in their socks.

"I think most people were in shock... We often deal with wasps and
pigeons but have never had a fox to visit. A few customers were taking
pictures on their mobile phones and trying to pet him.

"At that point we decided to get everyone out and shut shop because we
couldn't tell if he was diseased or if he would make our customers
sick."

The shop was closed for more than one hour as staff waited for RSPCA
officers.

Mrs Adeyemi said: "At first the fox seemed quite calm and was curled
up in the window. There was a big crowd outside. We have never had so
much interest in a window display before.

"Then he started to get a bit agitated and was running around banging
his head on the glass. I think he suddenly realised he was trapped and
panicked."

The RSPCA cornered the fox behind the till before taking it away to be
released in the countryside.

Experts believe there are 10 foxes for every square kilometre in
London - 15,000 within the M25.