Mirror? ‘Nothing frightening about it after all’

• WE thought this photograph, above, might intrigue and amuse your readers.

We are a retired couple living in Pilgrim’s Lane. We are fond of animals but feel a bit too old now to keep a dog or cat.

However we seem to have adopted a local fox.

The other evening this curious fox, having eaten the dinner we provided, walked in through the open French windows and decided to explore the house.

He was quite brave until he happened to see himself in the long mirror. Startled, he backed away then scurried out.

A little later he came in again, cautiously approached the mirror, edged closer, and looked for longer, seeming to conclude that there was nothing frightening about it after all. It was not another fox.

He then visited the kitchen before climbing upstairs to have a look at the bedrooms.

He was a quite well-behaved guest, except that he surreptitiously stole one of our shoes, went off with it and hid it in the garden.

It’s been retrieved since, thank goodness. Apparently many foxes are attracted to shoes and handbags!

He’s been in several times since, comes quite close to us, and looks at himself in the mirror without showing fear any more.

However we make sure that shoes and bags are well out of reach.

Many people don’t like foxes, but this one has given us so much pleasure and fun.

CATHERINE OSBORN & RICHARD ANDERSEN, NW3