A nature-loving couple in Ipswich have captured charming footage of a mother fox and her cubs drinking water in their garden.

John and Karen Bendall live in Castle Hill and are long standing members of the RSPB, often seeing hedgehogs and other wild animals in their garden.

Ipswich Star: The mother fox drinking water from the tray left out by the BendallsThe mother fox drinking water from the tray left out by the Bendalls (Image: John Bendall)

They were initially annoyed when the neighbourhood flowers got flattened and, suspecting a cat, they set up a trail cam to catch the culprits.

What they captured instead, was sweet footage of a mother fox and her seven cubs coming to feed from the water they had left outside.

Mr Bendall said: "We've seen the mother before and she's had about six or seven cubs each year.

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Ipswich Star: The mother has been coming to the Bendall's garden for several yearsThe mother has been coming to the Bendall's garden for several years (Image: John Bendall)

Ipswich Star: A fox cub wandering through the gardenA fox cub wandering through the garden (Image: John Bendall)

"Low and behold when we watched the footage back we saw her and it is just beautiful to see nature doing its job.

"We try not to get too involved but put out water because we know she needs to feed her cubs — it was just gorgeous for somebody who loves our wildlife."

The footage was captured on Tuesday, May 4.

Ipswich Star: A fox cub caught on the trail camera at night timeA fox cub caught on the trail camera at night time (Image: John Bendall)

Ipswich Star: The mother has been coming to the Bendall's garden for several yearsThe mother has been coming to the Bendall's garden for several years (Image: John Bendall)