A FORMER judge is warning homeowners to beware after a fox climbed into his home through an open window 30ft above the ground.

Dudley Thomas, a retired district judge, says he was "flabbergasted" when he woke to find that his favourite shoes had been chewed.

He fears a child could be attacked if an urban fox was to get into a family home.

The 64-year-old, who lives in Cotham Hill, found one of the brown leather shoes inside where it had been left when he went to bed the night before, and another in the garden.

He believes an urban fox was responsible.

He thinks that it climbed into the house he shares with his wife Sue by walking along a garden wall, on to a balcony and through a sash window on the first floor into their living room. Mr and Mrs Thomas said they heard nothing during the night, and only noticed there had been an intruder when they woke up the next day.

Mr Thomas said: "When I found the chewed shoe at the bottom of the stairs and could smell a fox smell, I knew it must be a fox. I didn't think a rat or cat could have done it, and there were no dogs in the house. I also don't think it was an angry person I had dealt with in court.

"I am flabbergasted it was so bold."

Mrs Thomas, 62, a retired GP, said: "I can think of no other explanation, no doors were left open – just the window. There was a very strong smell of fox in our study – it really stinks – and we see foxes around where we live all the time.

"I think people should be aware that a fox could get in through a window like that. We don't have any small children in the house but after recent events people might want to be careful about leaving windows open if they do."

Last month, nine-month-old twins in east London were mauled by a fox as they slept in their cots, after it apparently entered the house through an open ground-floor door.

The baby girls are likely to be scarred for life after suffering injuries to their faces and bodies.