Foxes are now common in London. They have adapted to the food sources available in towns and cities, and shelter in gardens and other spaces.

Please note - The Royal Borough of Greenwich does not provide an extermination service for foxes.

How to deter foxes

The best thing to do is to make your garden as inaccessible and inhospitable to foxes as possible. Start by checking your garden for any holes or spaces they could use for access, or as a potential den, and block them up.

You should also:

• remove any possible food sources, for example, scraps from compost heaps or food fallen from bird tables - if you can't remove them, put them out of reach
• make sure you store any household rubbish in the wheelie bins and not in bin liners
• remove any fox faeces and disinfect the soiled area as soon as possible
• make sure you keep small pets (for example, rabbits, guinea pigs) and chickens in strong hutches or enclosures
• protect your vegetable patch - use netting for vegetables above ground and chicken wire under the soil to protect bulbs.

For more advice on deterring foxes, visit the Fox Project website or the RSPCA.

How to reduce fox problems in your garden

If foxes have made their home in your garden, you should:

• try placing a strong smelling fox repellent around the entrance to the den or 'earth' - you can buy these from garden centres and hardware stores
• lightly block the entrance with soil so the vixen can dig out any young foxes living in the hole
• block the entrance securely once you're sure foxes are no longer using the space
• consider increasing the height of fences or walls and if the fence or wall is on soft ground, try placing a wire mesh at the bottom of the fence - the wire mesh should continue at least 18 inches beneath the ground.