Mike Sherwood's letter about a fox as a "beautiful creature" (January 11) reminded me of my uncle who used to be a free range poultry farmer in Norfolk. 

The local foxes didn't just steal the odd chicken, which he wouldn't really have minded too much about - they would occasionally get into his hen houses and cause mayhem, killing and injuring many chickens.

So he kept guns in his kitchen and, when he saw them, he would go after the "varmints" without hesitation.

David Melton,
Vernham Road,
Weeke,
Winchester

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