Police investigate alleged attack after fox death

An investigation is under way into a report that a fox was attacked after being hit by a car.

A vehicle is said to have hit the animal on Dorchester Road, Hull, at about 22:50 BST on Saturday.

Humberside Police said it received a report that, soon afterwards, another motorist removed the fox from the middle of the road and tried to kill it.

The force said "a volunteer from a wildlife rescue group attended and the fox was subsequently transported to the vets", but it died.

A spokesperson for Hull Wildlife Protectors said it was "deeply disturbed" by the incident, which happened near the junction with Ilchester Close.

They said it was contacted by a member of the public who remained at the scene until volunteers arrived.

When they got there, the "visibly upset" caller told them that some people had got out of the vehicle and dragged the fox off the road by its hind legs.

One of them got a knife from the vehicle before cutting the fox's throat and leaving the scene, the wildlife group said it was told.

The spokesperson said: "Despite this brutal action, the fox was still alive when HWP volunteers arrived."

The animal died on the way to a veterinary surgery.

The BBC has been shown video footage of a fox with what appears to be a large wound to its throat.

Police are appealing for witnesses or people with footage to get in touch with them.

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