ON SUNDAY I found a dead fox in my yard and being concerned about disease, called the RSPCA who said that I would have to call the environmental health. They gave me the number for Warrington Borough Council. I called and held on for their emergency team, told them the problem and was basically fobbed off with another number for the environmental health department. I called and was connected to an answering machine that told me they were closed. There was no facility to leave a message, or alternative number.

My husband was away, I am practically immobile having undergone an operation on both feet and my children were eager to take advantage of the nice weather and play out. So I called Warrington Borough Council back and explained that the Environmental Health number was no use. Again I was told there was nothing they could do. The woman offered to leave a written message for the department in the morning. I accepted this as there was nothing else to be done.

I then called the local police and got pretty much the same response. They don't handle dead animals. So I was back to square one.

The animal could be infected with all kinds of diseases, especially rabies. It could have been poisoned. What if one of my children or someone else's touched it and got sick?

What astounded me most was that there was no one on stand-by for such emergencies.

Warrington Borough Council need to look at their emergency services a little closer, provide better access to them at weekends. The world carries on turning on Saturday and Sunday!

G MCKINNON

Warrington