'Absolutely disgusting' - Community slams 'vandals' who removed fox carving from park

Residents in a South Manchester community have slammed the removal of a fox carving from their local park, calling the people who did it 'disgusting'. The specially-carved animal is one of two in Old Moat Park in Withington which was paid for out of the Friends of Old Moat Park funding for improvements.

However, eight months after it was installed - alongside its squirrel counterpart - the fox has been sawed clean off its wooden stump. Residents have called for those responsible to be jailed and labelled the incident 'disgusting'.

Residents first became aware of the removal of the statue on Wednesday (November 8) when the sun rose to show it had been removed. On closer inspection, the animal appears to have been removed using a handsaw, with a void where the much-loved fox used to be.

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Mariana Silva slammed the perpetrators on the Withington Facebook group, saying: "Anyone has CCTV to check? This person should go to jail," while Danielle Morrisson was saddened by the removal, posting: "That’s outrageous, what is happening to society?"

Margaret Kirwan called it "disgusting", while John Dow referenced the recent tree-felling in Sycamore Gap, posting: "Just like the famous tree cut down in Northumberland pure vandalism absolutely disgusting!!"

Local resident Susie Morris said on Facebook: "The beautiful carved fox in Old Moat Park that gave everyone so much joy, brought more interest to the small pocket park... has been stolen. Now a symbol of everything that's wrong in this world. This selfish, destructive behaviour is unacceptable and