Mad as a March hare! Fluffy female hare boxes male… then blows a raspberry at the camera

This is the hilarious moment a mad March hare appeared to blow a RASPBERRY at a wildlife photographer who was stunned when the cheeky critter bounded into his shot.

Simon Litten, 46, waited for two hours from dawn to capture dozens of hares leaping around in a field in Tibenham, Norfolk, on Sunday morning.

The camouflaged photographer watched quietly as a female boxed on her hind legs against male admirers in the traditional courtship ritual.

But he thought he was going as mad as a March hare when one of the animals suddenly stuck its tongue out at him.

Professional wildlife photographer Simon said: “I had been lying there since first light and I finally got the photos at about 9am.

“They had been boxing all morning but it’s always the far end of the field of under long grass.

“But they made their way over to me and I kept still with my camouflage netting over me so all that was sticking out was the lens.

“They were boxing about 30ft away, they box for a bit and chase each other and then have a break and eat.

“There was a group of about a dozen and there was a female being pursued by about males.

“Then all of a sudden one of the males bounded to about 15ft away from me and stuck his tongue out.

“I couldn’t believe it.

“They call it mad as a March hare because that’s when everyone sees them but they do actually box all year around.

“But in March the crop and corn is low so you can see them better.”

As well as the cheeky raspberry, Simon also captured the feisty hares leaping into the air and boxing with their front legs.

One hilarious photo shows one of the animals getting the upper hand on the other by jumping higher and ‘punching’ its love-interest in the head.

* Hares are much longer-limbed and quicker than rabbits and have been known to reach speeds of a staggering 45mph (72kph).

Brown hares are widespread throughout most of the UK and are the fastest land mammal in Britain.

Their courtship involves boxing and the well-known ‘mad March hare’ behaviour involves females fending off passionate males.