POLICE are hunting a fox with garlic breath after the hungry animal mugged a shopper for some Tesco Value garlic bread.

Fifteen-stone Seb Baker was walking back home with his shopping along an alleyway near Mungo Park Way, Orpington, when he found the fearless grey-coloured beast lurking in wait for him.

The 29-year-old civil servant thought nothing of it as he walked towards it, expecting the fox to run off instantly.

He said: "I thought it was strange as usually they just run off.

"So I walked past it but it just sat there, staring at me.

"When I looked back it started to follow me and started running. I thought it was just going to run past but it jumped up at my shopping bag.

"I stamped my foot thinking it would go and tried to whack him with my bag."

This led to a tense stand off, with the cheeky fox refusing to budge, so Seb resorted to a different tactic.

He said: "I took out the Tesco Value garlic stick and waved it in an aggressive manner. But he just started jumping up again so I thought this is just not worth it. I didn't want to get scratched so just threw him the garlic bread.

"He seemed quite happy and ran off with it then."

But it could have been far worse, as Seb revealed he thought he might have had to hand over the gourmet garlic loaf he'd also bought, when he encountered another fox shortly after.

Seb, who lives in Nicolson Road, said: "Looking back it's quite a funny story - getting mugged for garlic bread. Luckily I had some gourmet garlic bread as well, but was worried I might have to give that up when I saw another fox a few minutes later.

"But thankfully this one ran off the moment it saw me."

The suspect is described as grey haired, about 2ft high and not particularly scrawny.

Do you have any foxy tales? Call the newsroom on 01689 885711.