Surviving on scraps and people's rubbish has forced urban foxes to become much bolder than their countryside counterparts.

But when Lesley Butcher returned to her home in The Grange, Wimbledon Common, two weeks ago, nothing prepared her for the fantastic shock of seeing a fox brazenly perched on her spare bed.

Mrs Butcher, 67, said: "The flat was in chaos. It must have got in through the French doors and had been there about four hours. Amazingly, it didn't do an awful lot of damage but it had knocked things over and marked his territory. It had even found a mink and pulled it to pieces."

Enraged, Mrs Butcher summoned Pest Control who promptly put the unwelcome guest in the garden.

But Mrs Butcher wants a more permanent solution to the problem.

She said: "Pest Control was very helpful but said its hands were tied. The team wasn't allowed to kill it or even take it to the common.

"This is crazy. I had my 91-year-old mother with me who was traumatised by the whole thing. And I don't want her going around with fleas. I often have my young grandchildren with me - what if he had bitten them?"

This is not the first time Mrs Butcher's home has been spoiled by foxes, and she often finds her carefully-tended garden riddled with holes.

"Now I can't leave my front windows open because of burglars, and I can't leave the French windows open because of foxes, " she said.

"Surely it's time to realise they are vermin, not storybook creatures with fluffy tails to leave food out for. We need to have them eradicated."

In recent years, the council has experienced an increase in the number of calls concerning urban foxes, with about 150 in the past year. But a council spokesman insisted the creature is not generally considered to be vermin. Councillor Tariq Ahmad, cabinet member for environment and traffic management, said: "Our response to reports of wild animals, particularly foxes, is based on a case by case basis.

"In this instance, trained officers attended the address on Wimbledon Common, as the fox was causing the owner of the property distress.

"Equally, the fox was distressed, so the officer removed it with the use of a dog catching pole instead of caging and transporting it elsewhere, which would have been a far more traumatic experience. The fox was released unharmed and the chances of a fox returning to the scene of an unpleasant encounter are low."

Anyone experiencing trouble with foxes can call 020 8545 3033.