The charity is highlighting the dangers sports netting poses to wildlife

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Six fox cubs have been rescued from sports netting across Surrey and south London. The RSPCA is now warning of the dangers sports netting poses to wildlife and urging people to tidy it away when it is not being used.

RSPCA officer Louis Horton rescued the six fox cubs - most of them within just one week. They were tangled in netting at various sports centres and gardens.

Now the rescuer is highlighting the dangers leaving netting out can pose to wildlife like fox cubs. Louis said: "It's always busy for the RSPCA at this time of year but I was shocked to have six incidents of fox cubs tangled in netting in such a short space of time.

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"Sadly, these incidents are very stressful for any animal, particularly a wild animal, and something which could easily be avoided, which is why I am reminding people to please put their sports netting away when not in use." Last Wednesday (May 4), he was called to a fox cub tangled in netting in Litchfield Road, Sutton.

Sadly, the fox was incredibly tangled around its back legs. After cutting the fox free, the cub was taken to a wildlife rehabilitation centre for treatment in the hope he can be later released into the wild again.

On May 1, Louis was called to rescue another fox cub which was tangled in netting in Walpole Road, Surbiton. The officer was able to cut the fox free and thankfully as there were no injuries he could release the cub back into the wild there and then.

That same day, he was called to Dudley Road in Walton-on-Thames, where another cub was sadly tangled in netting and unable to free itself. The cub was desperately trying to break free and in doing so was moving the football goal net around the garden. Louis was able to cut the cub free and release back into the wild.

On April 30, Louis attended an incident in Romans Way, Woking, where two fox cubs had become trapped in netting. The poor cubs were tangled together and could barely move.

Louis managed to cut them free of the netting but sadly one of the cubs had sustained severe injuries and so the decision was made to put the cub to sleep to end his suffering. Thankfully, the other sibling could be released back into the wild.

On April 25, a call came through to rescue a fox cub tangled in netting in a garden in Abbott Road, Guildford. Louis attended and managed to rescue the young cub and after a check over was able to release it back into the wild.

Finally, on April 13, he rescued a cub from Links Road, Epsom, which had become caught in netting around a fence in a garden. The cub was cut free and thankfully after sustaining no injuries could be released in situ.

Louis added: "Many people may not realise that netted fencing and netting used for gardening or in sport, can be really dangerous for animals. We would urge those using netting for sports to remove and store all nets after their game and put any discarded or old netting safely in a bin.

"Any garden netting should be replaced with solid metal mesh or people should use wood panels for fencing instead of netting, where possible." The RSPCA receives hundreds of calls every year to rescue animals - often wildlife - which have become tangled in netting, be that fencing, sport or garden nets.

An RSPCA spokesperson added: "Please do not try to free the animal from the netting yourself, as animals can have serious injuries if they become tightly entangled, so it’s best that they are examined to check if they need veterinary treatment before being released. If you do encounter a wild animal you think needs help, please contact a local wildlife rehabilitator or the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 but please note the charity's helpline is very busy at this time of year."