POLICE are investigating a spate of cat deaths in Honeybourne after two of the animals were confirmed as having been poisoned.

Officers were called to to the village after two pets died in suspicious circumstances.

A vet’s report concluded the animals were poisoned with anti-freeze and, since then, a third cat has reportedly died in the same village.

It is not known if the deaths were accidental or malicious.

Evesham resident and animal rights campaigner Lynn Sawyer, aged 42, is a friend of the owner of two of the cats who died. She said: “I got a phone call from my friend saying his cats had been poisoned, so I drove over to Honeybourne straight away.

“I picked him and his cats up in my car, and they were having convulsions. We drove over to the vets and they ran some tests, and said it was anti-freeze poisoning. In the end the cats had to be put to sleep.

“Then, a few days ago, we heard someone else’s cat had died. We just want to get the message out there about how dangerous this stuff is. We can’t be sure, but we think it’s suspicious.”

A spokesman for West Mercia Constabulary said: “Police were called to the village following a report that two cats had been poisoned. We discussed the incident with the owner but no formal complaint was made.

“The local policing team is investigating. Obviously residents are encouraged to report any similar incidents as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, a jogger made a gruesome discovery in a brook between Weston-subedge and Bretforton last week. He found five dead foxes had been dumped in a watercourse by the side of the road.

A friend of the man who found the foxes, Adrian Hodges, said: “It is disgusting for any animal to be treated like this.”