Pillow fight! Playful fox cubs are caught grappling over cushion left for them to sleep on in garden

A pair of playful fox cubs were captured grappling over a cushion left for them to sleep on while exploring a garden in West Sussex.

The two cubs were chasing each other and practicing their best prey pounces when they were caught on camera by wildlife activist Dora Nightingale.

Filmmaker Ms Nightingale from Worthing, West Sussex, filmed the adorable footage after being contacted by a resident who wanted advice on how to look after the wild animals that visited her garden. 

The 58-year-old who runs Fox Guardians – a charity which protects urban foxes – explained: ‘A lady contacted me because she was annoyed with fox cubs chewing her plants and wanted advice on what she could do about this.

Two cubs were chasing each other and practicing their best prey pounces when they were caught on camera by wildlife activist Dora Nightingale

Filmmaker Ms Nightingale from Worthing, West Sussex, filmed the adorable footage after being contacted by a resident who wanted advice on how to look after the wild animals that visited her garden

‘The cubs were teething, so I provided soft toys and balls for them to chew instead of plants.

‘I also set up trail cameras in the hope that the footage captured would enchant the garden owner and she would open her heart to the little foxes.

‘It worked – she was happy for the cubs to play in her garden until they naturally moved on to find their own territory.’

Dora added: ‘It is fascinating to see what foxes get up to when the humans are away.

The 58-year-old who runs Fox Guardians – a charity which protects urban foxes – explained: ‘A lady contacted me because she was annoyed with fox cubs chewing her plants and wanted advice on what she could do about this’

Ms Nightingale said: ‘The cubs were teething, so I provided soft toys and balls for them to chew instead of plants’

She added: ‘I also set up trail cameras in the hope that the footage captured would enchant the garden owner and she would open her heart to the little foxes’

She said: ‘It worked – she was happy for the cubs to play in her garden until they naturally moved on to find their own territory’

‘What looks like a silly bit of fun, bouncing on a trampoline is actually sophisticated role-play.

‘One fox at the top, learning how to pounce really high, the other one underneath the trampoline, pretending to be the prey animal. This is how foxes learn how to hunt.’

Dora added: ‘Fox lives are very tough and short. The sad statistic is that only one in five fox cubs makes it to their first birthday.

‘So why not make their lives a little better by letting them play or sleep in your garden or by providing fresh drinking water, a handful of toys or some snacks.’