Night bus drivers have befriended a poorly fox, and are treating its illness by putting medicine in jam sandwiches.

Terry Inns, who works for London General bus service in Sutton, first encountered the fox about a year ago.

Mr Inns and his fellow drivers see it nearly every night at the bus stand in Priory Road, Cheam, which marks the end of the 93 route.

When the drivers began leaving scraps of food out for the animal, it started coming back on a regular basis. 

Mr Inns believes the fox is female but is not absolutely sure, and says the critter is now so comfortable around the drivers it sometimes tries to get on the bus.

A few months ago he noticed patches of the fox’s fur had started falling off, and parts of its body were bleeding.

He said: "My grandsons always used to ask me how the fox was doing. When I told them about its condition, my eldest grandson Joseph said we should do something to help.

"We googled it (sic) and came across the National Fox Welfare Society. They advised me that it has Sarcoptic Mange.

Your Local Guardian:

Sarcoptic Mange has caused part of the fox's fur to fall off on the other side of its body

"They send me out free treatment which I then put in jam and honey sandwiches and leave out for the fox.

"The society's work is voluntary, so I put up a poster at work to raise money for them. 

"So far we have sent them £60."

The night drivers tend to see the fox at roughly 3.30am every morning.

Mr Inns, 57, who lives in Matlock Crescent in Cheam, wakes up in the middle of the night to go and feed the fox even when he is not at work

The National Fox Welfare Society recommend putting medicine in jam and honey sandwiches because the animals love eating anything sweet.

He said: "The condition could kill the little fox. Obviously I really hope it doesn’t. If it stops coming to see us that would be really sad."

Sarcoptic Mange is an infection caused by a parasitic mite that burrows under the skin. The condition makes the fox itch so much it starts bleeding. 

The infection can also lead to blindness, and will eventually cause the death of the animal.

To donate to the National Fox Welfare Society visit: www.nfsw.org.uk