The woman behind a haven for rescue animals has a new furry friend.

Mel James runs Ani-Mel Haven, a registered charity for rescue animals, from Bank Mill Nurseries at Mawbray near Allonby.

For the last two weeks Mel has been hand-rearing Mabel, a weeks-old fox cub rescued by a passer-by from a busy road where she was dodging cars with no sign of her parents or any siblings.

The pair have quickly become firm friends, with Mel hoping to get her used to a lead so she can go on walks, while Mabel plays around her new friend's home with her pet dog and cats.

Mel said: "She came to me about two weeks ago after a man found her on her own on the road between Allonby and Silloth.

"Cars were actually swerving and there was no sign of her mother or other cubs.

"We think her mother has either been shot or killed on the road.

"It was actually the man who found her that named her because she was found in May and it just stuck.

"Everybody who's seen her absolutely loves her and they can't believe how small she is."

Mabel has grown fond of Mel in the weeks they have spent together and it is likely they will become a permanent fixture in each other's lives.

"I've had a fox in the past but he was quite a lot older so I managed to rehabilitate him and release him well away from people and livestock," Mel said.

"But because Mabel's getting domesticated I don't think she'd survive long in the wild so she'll be staying with me."