Fox shoots hunter in Belarus

A wounded fox pulled off a miraculous escape from a hunter - by shooting his would-be killer in the leg. The animal, which had already been shot, somehow managed to pull the trigger of the double-barrelled shotgun with its paw as the hunter battering it with the butt to finish the animal off .

The unnamed hunter, 40, who had been hunting in the Grodno region of Belarus, remains in hospital with a rather embarrassing leg injury while the animal made its escape. The condition of the fox is not known, but at least it can choose its final resting place after fighting back and setting off the gun.

An investigator said: 'The animal fiercely resisted and in the struggle accidentally pulled the trigger with its paw.' Fox hunting is popular in the farming region of northwestern Belarus, close to the border with Poland.

The country itself is a popular destination for hunters wanting to shoot several animals, including elk, wild boar and even wolves. Foxes like the shooter are not protected in Belarus because they transmit rabies.