A foxes' life on the A20

Sean Hollands, former KentCounty Constabulary Traffic patrol.

One summer evening on the A20 near west Kingsdown, Kent, together with a colleague, whilst on main road traffic patrol, we came across an accident, in which a huge fox had come off the worst in an argument with several passing cars. Having got the traffic flowing again we were left with the poor fox, which was breathing but apparently unconscious, with it's tongue firmly clamped between it's teeth (nasty looking fangs!). Judging by other damage to the animal, it looked doomed, but we did not wish to dispatch it in full view of the slow moving queue of traffic heading homeward from a scorchingly hot day at the seaside. On the grass verge we positioned our car, along with that of a spectator, to shield the demise of this poor animal. Being the senior in service officer, my colleague was deputed to carry out the deed with his 18" wooden truncheon (this was in the 1960's - 1970's so no tasers, asps etc.,not even a metal shovel or axe!). Being the sensitive soul I am, I averted my eyes, heard the sickening thud of wood on fox head, waited for what seemed to be an eternity, then nearly passed out as my colleague's anguished yell rent the heavens. The fox had simply shaken it's head, stood up, freed it's tongue, gazed antaganostically towards my colleague, then wandered off the verge under a hedge, never to be seen again. Hysterics all round, particularly from the only member of the public to have braved event........