Vinnie Jones denies tweeting photograph of 'massacre' of more than 100 foxes

Vinnie Jones has been criticised by animal rights campaigners after an image of more than 100 dead foxes was posted on his Twitter account.

The Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels actor denied posting the image and claimed his account had been hacked because of his love for hunting.

The picture was posted with the caption: “A real night lamping #foxes anyone beat this?” It was deleted from the account on Sunday night.

Animal rights campaigners described 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.”

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."

Jones, the former Wimbledon, Leeds and Chelsea footballer, said he had been targeted because of his love of country pursuits.

He told the Mail Online: "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."

Jones, 52, later wrote on Twitter that he believed the picture had been both taken and uploaded in Australia.

He told ShootingUK earlier this month:“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.”

Several people criticised the actor and former footballer on social media:

It is legal to shoot foxes with a rifle or shotgun on private land in the UK.