'Foxes using playground at Lincoln school as a toilet'
A primary school says it is exploring ways to humanely remove foxes from the grounds due to safety concerns.Fran Rhodes, the principal at Hartsholme Academy in Lincoln, said foxes had been encroaching on the site for 12 years and had used playing fields and other areas "as a toilet"."The priority is the safety of our children, we've done a risk assessment and the amount of diseases that's carried in the fox faeces is a concern for us," she said.The RSPCA said there were "some risks" associated with fox faeces, but deterrent measures might be more effective than removing the animals, as others might take their place.
Ms Rhodes said the school was "reviewing the situation" and would contact animal specialists for advice.Her top priority was the children's health and safety, especially as the school cared for young children from the age of three.
She recalled an incident in 2024 when an adult fox entered the school field and a site manager attempted to usher it away."But it ran the opposite way and over the nursey gate," Ms Rhodes said. "Thankfully the children had just gone in."Those are the situations that really concern me, which is why I felt like we needed to do something to sort this out."According to Ms Rhodes, the school's site manager is called out every day to collect fox faeces."We have fox poo and urine everywhere, it does become a bit of an issue."
'Humane' approach
Messages seen by the BBC in a community social media group with more than 50,000 members raised questions about the welfare of the foxes, including the use of traps on school grounds.Ms Rhodes said she "understood" the concerns. Traps had been used previously, but she wanted to assure people that they were "humane".The school was now seeking specialist advice from animal experts.Graham Le Blond, 65, who runs a non-lethal fox control business, Fox-A-Gon, said schools could be an "attraction for a fox" and outside learning areas often appealed to them."They contain decking or sheds, which is what the vast majority of foxes now live underneath," he said. "They're ideal locations."
Mr Le Blond said the animals were "creatures of habit" and removing them involved "changing their pattern". Rebecca Machin, a scientific and policy officer at the RSPCA, said there were "some risks" associated with fox faeces, which "can contain toxoplasmosis or round worm".However, she warned that if the school removed the foxes, it was "likely" that others would take their place."We would say the best thing is to try deterrent measures, these are more likely to succeed in the long term," she added.Ms Machin recommend removing any sources of food and ensuring fencing was secure.According to the NHS, toxocariasis is an infection caused by small worms found in faeces.Although rare, it can cause "serious problems like difficulty breathing or loss of vision", the NHS website states.Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
37 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
The RSPCA is seeking 2,500 volunteers to help wildlife
The 'Wildlife Friends' initiative, launched in 2023, aims to create a million-strong movement to protect animals by undertaking simple tasks in gardens and outdoor spaces. These tasks, such as creating mini wildlife ponds or providing wildlife drinking stations, help prevent injuries to animals and free up RSPCA staff to tackle cases of cruelty and neglect. RSPCA volunteer experience partner Sherry Flanagan said: "This summer, a little kindness goes a long way. "They are small acts of kindness which take a few minutes, but they will make a big difference to wildlife." There are currently around 7,200 people volunteering with the RSPCA across England and Wales. Volunteers sign up via an online app and choose from a menu of activities, logging details and pictures of their completed tasks. More than 10,209 wild animals were admitted to RSPCA wildlife centres last year. RSPCA head of volunteering Brian Reeves said: "All our volunteers are amazing and make a huge difference to animal welfare through the kind gift of their time, skills, and energy. "We know animals are facing huge challenges and need our help more than ever."
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Cancer patients risk dying because of ‘RUBBISH they read on social media', top doctors warn
CANCER patients are refusing medical treatment because of rubbish they read online, top doctors warn. People are becoming incurable and even dying as a result of misinformation on social media. A study led by the University of Bologna found that almost all cancer -related videos on YouTube and TikTok – between 88 and 100 per cent – contain incorrect information. The NHS, top UK charities and global experts warn the problem is out of control, killing patients who have cancer and terrifying those trying to stay healthy. Professor Richard Simcock, NHS doctor and chief medical officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: 'I recently saw two young women who have declined all proven medical treatments for cancer and are instead pursuing unproven and radical diets, promoted on social media. 'As a doctor, I want to be able to use the best available therapies to help people with cancer. 'A person is perfectly entitled to decline but when they do that on the basis of information which is frankly untrue or badly interpreted it makes me very sad.' Polling by Macmillan has found that 59 per cent of Brits – more than 30million people – believe myths or misconceptions about the disease. For example experts say patients are being sucked in by influencers' claims that low-carb diets can battle cancer, recommendations for unproven drugs, and a belief that negative thoughts can cause relapse. Internet users have also been convinced of false or unproven cancer risks such as from deodorants, mobile phones, underwired bras and dairy, they added. They also accuse search engines and artificial intelligence of regurgitating false information. Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England's medical director, said: 'Social media can provide a supportive community but we're also seeing an alarmingly high level of misinformation on some of these platforms. 'I would urge people to be sceptical of any 'miracle cures' and to use trusted, credible sources like the NHS website. 'These fairy tales aren't just misleading, they can be harmful.' Dr Julie Gralow, president of the American Society for Clinical Oncology, said: 'Several patients of mine wanted an all-natural treatment approach and found clinics online. 'In some cases they died within nine months. 'It's tragic and we wonder what we could have done differently but in the end we can't force anybody to do anything.' About 400,000 people develop cancer in the UK each year and 50 per cent survive for 10 years or more after diagnosis. Matthew Hobbs, of Prostate Cancer UK, added: 'Sadly there are a lot of poor sources of information out there. 'Sometimes they are deliberately pushing unproven treatments or ideas, other times it is well meant advice but lacking expertise and full understanding of all the facts.' Retired breast surgeon Dr Liz O'Riordan said: 'We need to get more doctors talking to patients on social media and explaining things to them.' 1
The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
I get a burning sensation around my right breast when I go for a walk – should I be worried?
AROUND 1.2billion prescriptions are dispensed here yearly. Almost half of the calls to pharmacies are from patients asking if their medicine is ready. But it has just got a lot easier to find this information via the NHS app. Millions can now track if their prescription is ready to collect or has been dispatched. It is a new feature that NHS England says nearly 1,500 high street chemists are offering. The NHS app, which now has 37.4million users has made ordering prescriptions streamlined. About 5.5million repeat prescriptions are ordered through the app each month. These are sent electronically to your nominated pharmacy. Digital prescription barcodes are created for those who do not have a nominated pharmacy. Scotland is developing its own app, Digital Front Door, which is expected by the end of this year. These apps help free up time for both GPs and pharmacists so they can see more patients. Here's a selection of what readers asked me this week. Cardiologist explains when chest pains aren't a heart attack FEAR OVER IRON LEVEL Q: FOR the past two and a half years, my nine-year-old daughter has struggled with increasing her iron levels. She has been on iron supplements, increased vitamin C and iron-rich foods. Although her iron levels have gone from eight to 33, at the highest, it has recently taken another dip. She is often tired but has ten hours of sleep each night and she has very little stamina for any physical activity. She is not overweight or inactive, though. We are frustrated at getting no real answers or solutions. What more can we do? A: It sounds as though you are taking some sensible steps to try to help your daughter overcome her iron deficiency, but the problem keeps coming back. My assumption is that the numbers you have shown are a measurement of her ferritin levels, an indication of iron stores and the most reliable initial blood test for iron deficiency. In general, a ferritin level of less than 15 micrograms/L indicates there is very little iron available for use in the body, while levels of less than 30 micrograms/L means there is less iron available for various functions, including red blood cell production. If left untreated, this can lead to iron deficiency anaemia, so it is important to get to the bottom of this. An inadequate diet is the commonest cause of iron deficiency, but it sounds as though your daughter is eating plenty of iron-rich foods and taking vitamin C, which helps the body to absorb iron. Some conditions of the gut lead to poor absorption of nutrients, for example, coeliac disease. Has she been tested for this? Also conditions which cause the body to lose small amounts of blood can cause iron deficiency. Periods are an obvious cause, but your daughter is too young (but this could exacerbate the problem in the future). Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's and colitis) and even taking anti-inflammatory medicines (ibuprofen) frequently can cause small but persistent blood loss. It sounds as though your daughter will need to restart some oral iron medication again while these are investigated. When the blood level is back to normal, the iron treatment should continue for at least three months to build up iron in the body. If the problem persists with no clear answers, then she may need to be referred to a paediatrician for further investigations. WALKING IS SO PAINFUL, BUT WHY? Q: I AM a male, 73, and I get a burning sensation around my right breast to my right shoulder blade when I go for a walk. This can stay a few minutes, then go. It doesn't normally return until the next time I go for a walk. 3 I have had scans and tests, which found nothing. It's been like this for a few years and is very uncomfortable. A: Any pain in the chest area or back which is brought on by physical exertion and alleviated by rest should be considered to be angina until proven otherwise. Angina is a symptom of heart disease. Because the arteries are narrowed by plaque build-up, not enough oxygen-rich blood can get to the heart muscle when it is working hard. Angina can feel like pain, pressure, squeezing, or tightness in the chest, and it may also radiate to the arms, back, neck, or jaw. It is triggered by activities that increase the workload of the heart, such as walking, climbing stairs, or even emotional stress. You mention having had tests, but were you referred to a specialist chest pain service? In a patient with suspected angina, you would typically have blood tests and an ECG and usually a coronary angiogram or a myocardial perfusion scan. Sometimes a GP can rule out angina based on their thorough history-taking and examination, for example, they can tell that the pain is musculoskeletal in origin. Other times it is very clear that angina is the diagnosis and medication can be started immediately. Other potential causes include pain originating from muscles and joints or compression of nerves. Q: I HAVE had pain in my lower abdomen for approximately two months. I have very little pain, if any, when lying down or slouching. 3 The pain starts almost immediately when I am sitting upright or standing. It can be severe. I am 72 and otherwise reasonably healthy. When I walk, I feel that I have to press/hold my abdomen in. A CT scan and blood/poo tests have come back clear. I have asked my GP if there is any referral he could make, and he says no. I am desperate and willing to pay privately if absolutely necessary, but don't know which type of specialist I should see. Could the problem be muscular somehow? I do also get lower back pain sometimes when bending. A: It sounds as though you definitely need some help from somewhere. As your abdominal pain is made worse by standing or sitting upright and alleviated by lying down or slouching, it suggests that either posture or the pressure within the abdominal cavity plays a role in causing the pain. It's worth checking that your GP is confident that they have ruled out any serious disease with the CT scan and other tests, including hernias, inflammatory bowel disease, ovarian or bowel cancer. If you have an inkling that the pain might be muscular, it might be worth seeing a physiotherapist who would be able to assess this issue. It is possible to have abdominal pain from a herniated disc or nerves being trapped around the spine, too, which a physio can also assess for. If the physio does not believe this to be the cause of the pain, then a gastroenterologist or general surgeon might be the next best step. It is also possible for nerves in the abdominal wall to become entrapped and this can be made worse by certain movements or postures. Finally, if you have had abdominal surgery in the past, then it is possible to have developed adhesions from scar tissue that causes pain
