Footballer turned actor turned carpet salesman Vinnie Jones has caused quite the stir after sharing a grim photo on Twitter of 100 foxes he allegedly shot, alongside the caption:

Featured Image VIA

A real night lamping #foxes anyone beat this?

Image VIA

However, Vinnie Jones has denied posting the image and has claimed that he was the victim of a hack attack due to his love for hunting.

Animal rights activists were quick to criticise the Lock, Stock actor, describing the scene as “nothing less than a massacre”. Philippa King, CEO of the League Against Cruel Sports, said:

The extermination of such a large number of foxes cannot be interpreted as simply dealing with a rogue fox problem or wildlife management.

Although the activity may be legal, there is no doubt it is unethical and likely totally unjustified – as fox populations are self-regulating.

The joy expressed here highlights the true nature of this activity, which is killing wildlife for fun and has nothing to do with fox control.

Meanwhile Elisa Allen, director of PETA UK, said:

If people hunted down panicked dogs for fun, we would call it what it is: cruelty to animals.

Despite the backlash, Vinnie maintains his innocence:

I have just woke to see these tweets with fox pics , this is a hack ive never seen this pic in my life and did NOT twwet it is a HACK !!!!!

— Vinnie Jones (@VinnieJones65) July 24, 2017

I am very sorry for the distress this HACKED picture has caused everyone i DONOT condone it in anyway

— Vinnie Jones (@VinnieJones65) July 24, 2017

On going research has shown the picture was taken in australia AND loaded to the internet in australia more research to follow

— Vinnie Jones (@VinnieJones65) July 24, 2017

Vinnie added:

It is absolutely nothing to do with me whatsoever.

I’d never seen the picture until this morning when I’d seen people going mad on Twitter saying I had done this and that. I was shaking, I’d never seen the picture, and I’d never seen that many foxes.

That is an attack on me. I don’t know how it has got on there.

It appears that the hackers might have been referring to an interview Vinnie gave earlier this month, where he said:

I love pigeon shooting — building the hide, putting the decoys out.

Lamping is probably my favourite. I’ve spent a lot of money on customising my Land Rover for lamping. If the farmer has a fox problem I love going out and dealing with it for him.

He might claim innocence over the “fox massacre” but it seems like the hackers have fulfilled their job in highlighting the fact that Vinnie does enjoy hunting – a controversial sport to say the least.

I’m just waiting to see an angry Twitter war break out between Vinnie Jones and PETA – just think of the tweets.