The first cull of urban foxes for 30 years has been cancelled after pressure from animal rights activists.

Hackney Council, in east London, had decided to crack down on the growing fox population after it became concerned about attacks on deer in a local park.

They said the foxes also posed a risk to those visiting Clissold Park, and that they would begin ‘humanely trapping’ the animals before destroying them.

The first cull of urban foxes for 30 years has been cancelled after pressure from animal rights activists

But before a single fox was killed, the council was forced into a U-turn following an online campaign.

They announced the traps had been removed because of ‘public concern’, a day after a petition was launched on campaigning website change.org, where it amassed 7,000 signatures.

It was set up by Dulcie May, who was listed as living in Penryn, Cornwall – 300 miles from Hackney.

A council spokesman stressed that the plans had merely been ‘postponed’, adding: ‘The risk to the deer remains and this needs to be resolved.’

Hackey Council said the foxes also posed a risk to those visiting Clissold Park (pictured), and that they would begin ‘humanely trapping’ the animals before destroying them

In 2010, nine-month-old twin sisters Lola and Isabella Koupparis were seriously injured after they were mauled in their cots by a fox that sneaked in to their house in Hackney.

Last night the RSPCA welcomed the council’s decision.

A spokesman claimed that there is ‘no evidence’ the foxes posed a disease risk to deer or humans and that it was ‘unlikely’ the cull would have accomplished anything as other foxes would probably have moved in to the area.