Business ransacked by ‘menace’ fox
CHEWED wires and ripped chairs greeted a Portsmouth entrepreneur as he continues to deal with a fox problem.
Tariq Danba, owner of The Laundry Room, found his business in a complete state after discovering the canid had been running rampant.
He first received reports of the errant animal on Friday, and has today discovered the extent of the damage.
Mr Danba told The News: ‘I can’t believe it, it’s worse than I thought. I don’t know where to start with it to be honest.
‘Everything is just everywhere. It looks like someone’s come in and ransacked the place.’
Mr Danba said the creature has ripped wires, ruined new chairs, torn wallpaper and broken mirrors.
The 31-year-old explained he has not made drastic repairs yet, as so much carnage was caused. He suspects the pest got into the laundry through the air vents, via the extraction unit.
Ceiling tiles had fallen onto the floor, and Mr Danba is still trying to comprehend what happened.
He said: ‘I’m still walking round looking at everything, and it’s urinated everywhere.
‘It’s just chewed everything and it’s a complete mess. It’s only now just hit me what has been going on.’
The owner said footprints were seen all over the ground, with footage showing scraps of torn packaging and strewn wires across the floor. He first saw what happened this morning, after organising an event for another one of his businesses last week.
Mr Danba first received reports about the creature on Friday, at 7.30am.
Employees heard noises coming from the ceiling, and the owner said he is unsure whether it is one fox on the premises, or a family of them.
Over the weekend, sightings of the fox inside The Laundry Room came flooding in.
The RSPCA were contacted on Sunday, with officers due to arrive today to attempt to retrieve the animal.
Mr Danba said another laundry business in North End helped complete customers’ orders, but added that he has been left ‘stunned’ by the ordeal.
He explained: ‘It was a big shock, and my phone was ringing non-stop through the night because of what happened.
‘I have to look behind the machines, and check all the electrics to make sure there is no damage.’