Corwen's Richard is best pals with Hetty the fox

Richard Bowler, 53, has raised furry pal Hetty since she was a sickly cub - and now she playfully acts as a live stole by draping around his shoulders.

The eight-year-old fox lives with Richard near Corwen, where she runs free in a large smallholding.

Richard said: "She likes to groom my head, something she has always done, she uses the side of her mouth to run through my hair.

"Afterwards she likes to have her ears massaged."

Hetty the fox (Image: SWNS)

Hetty was bought to caring Richard at just five-days-old when her inability to feed meant she would not survive.

He added: "Hetty was being hand-reared by someone else but was really struggling, constipated, not taking fluids and with a very weak front leg.

"I was asked to try with her. The first day we could only get her to drink 4mls of fluid, we thought we were going to lose her.

"Through round the clock care, we gradually got her to take more and more fluid and come good.

"Her front leg is still a little bit weak, but she does fine with it and has managed to dig herself an earth (den) under some brambles in her enclosure."

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Richard also cares for two other foxes who had bad starts in life, including Rosie who was left abandoned when her father killed most of her litter.

Unfortunately, due to being hand-reared and the unsafe conditions caused by humans, the foxes would not be able to live in the wild.

Richard explained: "The enclosure is really only required to keep them safe.

"Foxes are constantly hunted, snared and lamped in this part of the country - the Berwyns, north Wales - they wouldn't last very long if allowed to free roam.

"They live as wild a life as possible; they have their own underground earths that they dug themselves and any interaction they have with us and our terrier Maddy is on their terms.

"We like them to have as wild life as possible, they live in a big enclosure on the edge of woodland surrounded by a wildflower meadow.

"We supply the food and treats. The enclosure is there purely to protect them from the constant hunting of foxes that goes on in this part of north wales."

Richard Bowler and Hetty (Image: Picture: SWNS)

Richard takes in rescue animals, but does not encourage attempting to tame wild creatures.

He says: "Breeding foxes is not something I condone, they don't make good pets.

"It's a big commitment caring for the foxes, they trust us but do not trust strangers, this means we have not had a holiday in over 11 years.

"Hopefully, with the images I share I can dispel the myths used to justify killing such wonderful animals; after all, you wouldn't set a pack of dogs on our terrier so why do some people find it ok to do it to a fox?

"These animals are highly intelligent and as sentient as any dog."