OKEFORD Vets is appealing for the mother of abandoned kittens to be reunited with her litter.

Six abandoned kittens were brought in a shoebox to the centre on Monday.

The kittens, aged about two weeks old, were found in a bag dropped beside the river near Waitrose on Sunday evening.    

The finder took the kittens home, kept them warm, fed them and brought them to the vets the next morning.  

Fosterer from the Cats Protection League Elaine Hill said: 'The vet's staff are working around the clock to keep the kittens alive.    

'This is a cruel and senseless act, and perhaps the kittens were intended for a watery grave, but it was so unnecessary.

'A foster mother is being sought, but probably there is a grieving cat looking for her kittens.    

'These poor little mites have been born because the owner of the cat did not get the mother spayed, and even if it was intended for the kittens to be born, and then circumstances changed meaning they could no longer be kept, to leave them to starve to death is terrible.

'I'd like to ask the owner of the kittens to please get in touch — if we could get the mother of these kittens back with them, it would be fantastic.

'It's important to stress that there would be no repercussions on the owner.'

If anyone has any news, or can help with these kittens they can phone the Cats Protection League in confidence on 0845 3712751.