A veterinary surgeon carried out an autopsy on his own pet cat after finding its headless body in the garden.

David More, of Castlemaine Avenue, Ewell, who runs a vet surgery in Sutton, wanted to find out how his pet cat Tattie died following the shock discovery.

The vet now wants the urban fox problem needs to be addressed after discovering his cat was savagely decapitated by a vulpine pest.

Mr More said: "One morning after she did not come in I found her body lying on the ground.

"It was a bit distressing. As a vet I am used to dealing with animals but this wasn't very nice at all."

After he took her into the house he found fox fur all about her and under her claws.

He took her into his surgery the following day and conducted X-rays on her body to find out what happened.

He said "You have to try and be clinical but its difficult to stand back and remain objective.

"It was 30 minutes by the time I was satisfied that it was a fight with a fox. I am in no doubt that she was killed by a fox."

After the death of his cat, he spoke to his local councillor and MP Chris Grayling about what could be done about foxes.

Although they were sympathetic, they told him there is nothing they can do.

He said: "I feel it is a problem that will get progressively worse.

"Because people feed them, they live longer and they have more cubs. It's going to come to a point where people will be injured by them.

"I am a vet and I love animals and I do not want to hurt them but there must be some way of controlling their numbers.

"It was the most distressing thing I have ever had to deal with as a vet. It has taken a long time to come to terms with it."