A fox strolling though the town centre as bold as brass caught the eye of a Luton News reader this week.
Martin Bullock snapped the furry visitor early yesterday morning (Tuesday) as it made its way from the Town Hall towards the library.
He said: “I guess it may be a common sight but it’s a first for me.”
The fox attracted lots of attention on our Facebook page, with people keen to recount their own urban wildlife sightings.
Laraine Tott said: “I saw one at the back of Iceland in Park Street last Wednesday, it was running up to everyone with a bag. The manager had to stop it following people into the shop.”
Bill Grant said: “We often see foxes, sometimes with cubs, in Black Swan Lane.”
And Amanda Owen said she recently spotted one in Bute Street in the middle of the afternoon.
“I often see them early in the morning strolling down my road in Sundon Park,” she added.
John Comont, conservation manager for the Bedfordshire Wildlife Trust, said there was plenty to attract foxes into the town centre.
“There’s a lot of natural prey like pigeons, rats and mice, and there’s quite a lot of food dumped by people after they’ve been to the takeaway. It’s all good food for foxes.
“They’re very adaptable, that’s why they’re able to cope in urban places.
“Nowhere in Luton is enormously far from the countryside, the foxes probably hide away there during the day.”
And he said most people welcomed a bit of wildlife on their doorsteps.
“The majority of the feedback we get is that they’re a welcome sight. I think it’s very nice to see them about.”