Kittens 'dumped' in box on hottest day of the year

A cat and six kittens were found in a box at a school

Staff from an animal sanctuary have rescued a cat and six kittens abandoned without water on the hottest day of the year so far.

Hopefield Animal Sanctuary in Brentwood, Essex, said the animals were found nearby on Sawyers Hall Lane on Monday at about midday when the temperature had reached 32C (90F).

It said on social media they had been "dumped like rubbish at a closed school" and could have "died a painful death".

However, the sanctuary's marketing officer Tracy Tristram said: "They are currently receiving lots of love and care from the team, and they're all very sociable and friendly cats so have clearly been used to being with humans."

Animal care giver Xico found the kittens and brought them back to the sanctuary

The sanctuary says the cat and kittens are friendly and sociable

The three tabby and three black kittens are about four-to-six weeks old and were found when Xico, an animal caregiver at the sanctuary, went on a walk during his lunchbreak.

The kitten's mother has been named Aurora after the Northern lights display on Monday night.

The sanctuary said it is not accepting adoptions inquiries for the cat and kittens at the moment.