West Yorkshire Police officers recover three dead fox bodies from Tinshill and Ireland Wood in Leeds

Leeds North West police officers and one of West Yorkshire Police's wildlife officers recovered the bodies after receiving reports of "several dead foxes" in the area.

The circumstances around the foxes deaths will be investigated by a service for natural England Wildlife after the force liaised with their lead advisor for wildlife.

Police officers said it is too early to speculate on how the foxes died, but reminded the public that it is an offence to deliberately poison wildlife, hunt foxes with dogs, and to shoot foxes without the permission of the land owners.

They are asking anyone with information regarding this or any other wildlife incident to contact wildlife officer Gareth Poole directly on [email protected].

A post on the West Yorkshire Police Leeds North West Facebook page said: "Tinshill & Ireland Wood:

"After receiving reports of several dead foxes in the Tinshill/ Ireland Wood area, local NPT officers along with one of West Yorkshire Police’s Wildlife officers attended and recovered three of the Bodies.

"West Yorkshire Police have liaised with The Wildlife lead advisor for natural England Wildlife service who will investigate the circumstances around their deaths and provide Police with an update.

"At this stage it is too early to speculate as to how the foxes died, but we would like to remind the public that it is an offence to deliberately poison wildlife, hunt foxes with dogs, and to shoot foxes without the permission of the land owners.

"Anyone with information regarding this, or any other wildlife incident can contact one of the wildlife officers directly on: [email protected]."