Pensioner Marjorie Bowley got the shock of her life when she discovered a FOX sleeping in her bed.

The 77-year-old discovered the bushy-tailed bed-fellow snuggled up on her blankets after getting off her electric stair-lift.

The vixen - who was later christened Samantha - had stolen in through a catflap at the back of the house in Marlborough Road, Goring, and curled up on her bed.

Mrs Bowley said: "I came home on Thursday afternoon and heard a strange noise from upstairs. I went up on my stairlift and as I got to the top I saw a fox in the middle of my bed.

"I tried to shoo it off but it wouldn't budge. It was so bold. It just looked at me and moved up to the pillows."

Marjorie went back downstairs and phoned a neighbour, who in turn called the RSPCA.

She added: "I've lived here for more than 20 years and I've had foxes in my garden before but never in my house. I was surprised at how brave it was."

John Stenning, the neighbour Marjorie called for help, said: "I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The fox was not moving from the bed and she seemed perfectly at ease with humans.

"Even when we took photos it just sat there. I think Marjorie was a bit miffed because she'd only just bought a new quilt and had to have it washed straight away."

Eventually the RSPCA called the Worthing and District Animal Rescue Service (Wadars) to pick up the fox, which is about one year old.

Billy Elliott, rescue officer for the charity, said: "This is extremely unusual behaviour, and it is likely the fox has been left to fend for itself as its parents would be mating again around this time of year.

"It is likely Samantha has gotten too used to humans and the house was very warm so it was probably just a bit too tempting.

"The fox was comfortable but when she realised I was trying to catch her she tried to hide and I had to prise her out from behind the bedside table.

"One of the neighbours said he had fed her by hand the night before. The problem with that is the foxes get far too used to human contact and rely on us for food.

"At the end of the day they are wild animals and need to be treated like it, so leaving them food once every two or three days is enough.

"However it is the first time I've been in a bedroom with Samantha fox, so it wasn't all bad news."

Billy said the vixen was suffering with a bad case of mange, probably due to her poor diet. Mange is an infestation of the skin of animals by mites which cause hair loss, itching and inflammation.

Samantha was taken to the Fox Project in Tunbridge Wells where she is being nursed back to health. It is hoped she will be released back into Goring once she has made a full recovery.

Have you got any funny animal tales? Leave your comments eher or call the newsdesk on 01273 544519.