AN EXMOOR farming couple have recently had 33 lambs killed by foxes and have shot ten foxes dead. Now they believe the predators may be caused by the release of urban foxes into the wild.

May Collins, 80, who farms at Worth Farm, Withypool, with her husband Alan, 78, said they have now shot ten dog foxes in total, all of which appeared after lambing started.

“We have never had trouble like this before. We shot one or two before lambing started, and saw no more, but then lost 25 lambs in three days,” said May, who added that they had 1200 pregnant ewes.

A shooter with night vision and thermal imaging equipment was called in and eight foxes were killed in one field alone.