'Appalling death' for kittens

Four of the cats died in the lorry

Four kittens have been killed in County Londonderry after being abandoned in a skip which was emptied into a refuse lorry.

They died in the lorry's crusher before the refuse collectors could rescue them.

Another two kittens were saved and taken to the USPCA's shelter at Ben Varden, near Coleraine.

USPCA chief executive Steven Philpott condemned those responsible.

Two of the kittens were saved after bag ripped open

He said those animals that had been saved were in "a very poor condition".

"You can imagine what it was like being out in that sort of weather we have had over the past couple of days and they are obviously receiving whatever veterinary treatment they have to get," he said.

"It is an act of appalling malice to take unwanted kittens and for any reason to dump them into a bin knowing they would end up in a landfill site. It is just absolutely appalling."