Police are hunting down a gang of men who have been capturing and torturing foxes in East London.
Detectives were alerted to a screaming noise in the early hours of Monday, which they initially believed was coming from a human.
At the scene, officers witnessed the gang injuring an animal, which managed to escape.
Wildlife crime officer Det Con James Mahoney said it happened in woodland near Kestrel Avenue and Linton Gardens.
He appeals for information about the gang, who presumably regularly hunt foxes.
The four men are described by police as black and between the ages of 18 and 20.
Det Con Mahoney warned that the gang may commit crimes further afield and urged the public to be vigilant.
“I am truly shocked and sickened by these horrific, brutal incidents,” he said. “I’m calling on anyone with information to come forward so we can catch those responsible and prevent more foxes from getting hurt.
“If you live in the area, please look at the doorbell, dashcam or cameras footage in case you caught these heinous crimes or a group of men hanging around that match the description.”
The Met said it had received reports that the men had previously caught and injured foxes in the area.
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