This sly fox is not interested in being bright eyed and bushy-tailed - but is content taking a nap in the garden of a North Laine shop.

Nicknamed Mr Fox, the creature was discovered sleeping in a shrub by business owner Eric Danot yesterday and is seemingly reluctant to leave.

Mr Danot, who runs Bonsai tree shop in Sydney Street, said: “I went out to the back garden to bring a tree in for shaping and he was tucked under it.

“I think he decided it was so quiet in the North Laine at the moment it would be a good time to doss out.

“He opened his eyes and looked at me as if to say: ‘What the heck are you doing here?’ “He did a big yawn, put his tail back over his face and went back to sleep.”

Mr Danot said his customers have been taking a keen interest in his four-legged lodger and he’s happy for him to stay “as long as he doesn’t bring dead carcases into the garden”.

He said: “People say they have fairies at the end of their garden but I’ve got a furry.

“He’s a beautiful animal, a really nice looking fox.

“We’ve had drilling going on about 10 feet away and he doesn’t bat an eyelid. Either he’s very, very comfortable or he’s deaf.

“I imagine he’ll go at night and scarper but I just wonder how he knew it was a good place to go?

“Because to access the back garden must have taken him around the houses, in and out of iron gates and through an office walkway before he set up camp.”

Asked whether he’d been feeding Mr Fox, Mr Danot said: “No certainly not. There’s a few rats knocking around North Laine so he’ll be happy with them maybe.

“I understand why people hate foxes if you have a manicured garden – and the smell of their poo is appalling.

“But if he’s content to lie under the shrub during the day then that’s fine with me.”