Decapitated cat is second mutilated pet to be found in same street

The cat was found dead with its tail and head cut off in Brenda Hearndon's garden in Lincoln Drive.

It is the second mutilated cat to be found there in just a matter of weeks.

Ms Hearndon, who runs The Cat Whiskers Rescue charity, was the owner of the first cat 18-month-old Ellie-May which was killed in April.

It is not known who the second cat, found on May 7, belonged to as it was not microchipped.

Ms Hearndon, aged 74, said: "I think it's a tragedy. It's made us all feel terrible.

"The vets say from the cuts that it could have been the same knife used as the last time.

"We keep telling people to keep their cats in at night.

"There are some rumours going around about why it's happening, but that will only make things worse.

"We just want the person doing this to stop."

But Malcolm Haynes, who helps out at the charity, feared the culprit was capable of even worse.

He said: "I am getting a bit worried about it now. I just don't understand why someone would do this. We want to put a warning out that someone is actually killing these animals. People definitely need to keep them in at night.

"I don't want this to keep happening.

"But if people are going to kill animals what will they go onto next? A person?"

Lincoln Drive resident Vivian Jones, 82, shared the same concern and said: "The person doing this is sick. If they can do that to an animal, how long is it before they do start doing it to a human? If they can do that, it'll only get worse."

And another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, was also unnerved about the killings adding: "It's terrible. It makes you feel cold just thinking about it.

"You wouldn't treat anything that way. It sounds like it's basically torture.

"It's scary to think someone who lives close by could be doing something like this."

The RSPCA confirmed it is investigating the incidents but has not categorically said a person is responsible for mutilating the animals, stating the cats could have died naturally and had their head and tails removed by other wildlife.