Vixen: Impossible

Foxes are renowned for being wily creatures – but this devoted mother went to extraordinary lengths to find food for her cubs.

The cunning vixen swam 40m (120ft) and back to steal goose eggs from a nest on an island in a lake.

Amateur photographer Tom Melton snapped the fox paddling back and forth to her well-stocked 'larder' at a nature reserve in Warwickshire.

The pond in question

Unable to carry more than one egg in her mouth at a time, the fox made four return trips to the island, each time bringing back a tasty morsel for one of her four cubs.

She hid a fifth egg to devour herself later.

The fox, swimming

Mr Melton, 47, said: 'The fox spent 80 minutes swimming out to the island, gently picking up an egg and then swimming back. I have never seen anything like it before.'

BBC wildlife expert Chris Packham added: 'It shows how resourceful foxes can be.'