FEW people have a good word to say about the fox, but there is no doubt that there are very few more attractive creatures than a fox cub.

I once talked to an old farmer who told me that there were good foxes and bad foxes.

After more than 60 years of protecting his poultry he was sure that some foxes were a menace and he shot them without mercy.

There were, however, some foxes which had territory around his farm which did not bother his stock but fed almost totally on rabbits and mice. He also said that they ate some fruit, especially fallen apples and blackberries.

He went on to tell me that he had decided to protect the good foxes and prevented the "baddies" from muscling in on their territory.

He admitted that many of his friends thought that he was crazy but he lost fewer hens than his friends.

He winked at me and said: "Better the devil you know."