Could you give a kitten a good home?

Some 27 kittens have arrived at the St Bernard Sanctuary at Old Whittington near Chesterfield, and helpers there are struggling to cope.

“It’s a bit of a problem for us - people know we will take in kittens and that we never put down a healthy animal,” said volunteer Pete Stevens.

“Cats do tend to breed in the spring but there’s sometimes a second surge later in the summer. We’ve had people dumping pregnant cats too, sometimes outside our gates or in the drive, so we’re a bit stretched.

“Sometimes people think their female cat has been spayed, and when they find out she’s pregnant they panic.

“The kittens range from five to 10 and 11 weeks old, and of course we have some older mother cats with us now too,” Pete added.

More details on the cats can be found on the sanctuary’s website at petsamaritans.co.uk or by calling 01246 456 177.