A FOX was rescued from certain death by protesters who stopped it being torn apart by a pack of hounds.

The drama happened during a meeting of the West Sussex-based Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray Hunt.

An estimated 15 saboteurs protested during the hunt's meeting at Upperton Common, near Petworth.

The fox is now being treated by a vet until a decision is made about its future.

But a war of words has broken out between the saboteurs, who say they saved a life, and hunt supporters who claim they have prolonged the suffering of the animal.

They protestors saw the fox just as it was being caught by a pack of hounds.

One tried to grab the fox but was bitten on his finger.

The fox, which had puncture wounds on its back, managed to scramble into a rabbit hole as saboteurs shouted at the hounds to ward them off.

They then stood over the hole to prevent hunt terrier men from digging the injured animal out.

When the fox backed out of the hole a saboteur covered it with a coat until a cage was brought to the scene by members of the West Sussex Badger Protection Association.

The fox is now being treated by a vet in Bognor for bite marks and shock but is expected to recover.

Simon Wild, of the West Sussex Animal Protection Group and who was at the hunt, said: "He is the luckiest fox on earth.

"He will go to a sanctuary in a few days time until a decision is made about his future, but he will not be released where he can be hunted again."

The saboteur who was bitten received a tetanus injection as a precaution.

Mr Wild said: "It is very rare that we are able to save a fox in this manner because many of them die.

"The fact that he has bite marks explodes the myth that foxes are killed outright by a single nip to the back of the head."

Vet Richard Edwards said the fox was making a good recovery.

He added: "When he came to us on Saturday he was in a sorry state and extremely shocked with puncture wounds to his hind legs.

"Now he is much brighter and all the signs are hopeful."

Mr Edwards, of Bognor and Chichester-based Alphapet, said he did not want to become embroiled in the politics of what happened.

He added: "My duty and that of my staff is to treat all animals as best we can."

But the rescue has been condemned by a spokesman for the Countryside Alliance.

He said: "We are aware that the saboteurs jumped in as the hounds were about to kill the fox, but they have caused it more suffering than would have been the case otherwise.

"By interfering with a quick, clean kill they have caused prolonged suffering."

He added: "The hunt is interested in helping farmers in the area who want the fox population kept down by humane means."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.