'I'm concerned there's someone out there - there are a lot of missing cats'
A cat owner says she has been left terrified after two of her pets were shot with an air rifle. Leigh Rollison became concerned when she noticed rescue Candy began 'acting really odd'.
She then noticed a small wound and took the animal to vet Sinéad Bennett, who recognised the type of injury from a previous case. It was then confirmed there was a pellet lodged in Candy's body, millimetres from the spine.
Fortunately, the nine-month-old is recovering. Insurance worker Leigh, 40, said she saw a similar wound on two-year-old pet Molly.
Another X-ray confirmed the presence of an air rifle pellet. Leigh, from Winton, Salford said: "I don't understand it. I thought the first one might be a child in the garden by accident.
"I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I really am concerned now there's someone out there. There's a lot of missing cats around my area, I'm worried they're the unlucky ones.
"We found our nine-month-old rescue kitten Candy in the morning and she was acting really odd. That pellet had gone to within millimetres of her spine, she was very nearly paralysed. She probably wouldn't have been able to get home.
"Molly was probably hit first but she didn't show any signs because she's tough as old boots." Leigh, who has seven rescue cats, added: "I'm frightened... we don't know how to keep them safe.
"What if someone has got a cat and they don't realise it's a pellet wound? We don't know who's doing this."
Vet Sinéad said: "It's unthinkable that someone could deliberately harm such gentle and well-cared-for animals. We're deeply shocked but grateful we were able to help. The cats' owners are truly devoted and attentive people. These cats are their family.'
MCR Vets sai in a statement: "In a previous case seen by Sinéad a few years ago, a cat that had been shot went missing for seven days before its devastated owners found it collapsed under a hedge.
"The pellet had ruptured its intestines, causing widespread damage. By the time the cat was brought in, much of the bowel was no longer salvageable.
"The surgery was extensive and life-saving, but the outcome could have been tragically different. Without intervention, the cat would have endured a slow and extremely painful death."
The incidents have been reported to Greater Manchester Police. The Manchester Evening News has contacted the force for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
School was evacuated with parents urged to collect children after phone call
A primary school was evacuated following a menacing phone call warning of a 'bomb'. Bowlee Park Community School, in Middleton, was evacuated on Tuesday afternoon (June 24) before police attended the building. It followed a number of 'rude' phone calls made to the school, which ended with a threat by the person on the other end of the line. READ MORE: "A dramatic fall from grace": Under-10s football coach gambled away thousands of pounds parents raised for kid's dream tournament trip to Spain READ MORE: Entire cabin crew suspended after passenger uses iPhone feature and makes shock discovery According to the school, the person on the phone told the call handler: "I'm going to bomb the school." Staff liaised with Greater Manchester Police before evacuating the building at around 3.30pm, with parents asked to pick their children up at the end of the school day. The incident is now believed to have been a hoax, and the school has reopened as normal this morning (Wednesday). A message sent by the school to parents and carers on Tuesday evening, seen by the Manchester Evening News, said: "This afternoon the school received a concerning phone call which was reported to police. "A young person made several rude phone calls to school and in the final call said 'I'm going to bomb the school'. Following police advice, we acted swiftly to evacuate the building and requested that all children be collected for their safety. "The police have since thoroughly checked the school site and we have undertaken a risk assessment. The threat is believed to have been a hoax, possibly made by a former pupil." GMP confirmed it was called about the incident at around 3.30pm yesterday and that the school was evacuated. It's understood the call at the centre of the 'hoax' was not recorded and the crime log has since been closed. The evacuation was the second incident to affect Bowlee Park Community School in recent weeks, after being placed into lockdown on Friday, June 13, following reports of a man being seen with a knife on the nearby Bowlee Park. Join our Family WhatsApp group HERE In its message to parents last night, the school said: "We recognise that this is the second incident within two weeks and I understand that this will be concerning for parents and pupils. However, there is nothing to suggest the incidents are in any way linked. "Safeguarding the children is paramount to us and we continue to fully implement our policies and procedures and work with the police in all emergency situations. "School will be open as usual tomorrow [Wednesday]. The police are continuing with their increased presence in the community." Rochdale Council has been approached for comment. --- For the latest stories and breaking news visit Get the latest headlines, features and analysis that matter to you by signing up to our various Manchester Evening News newsletters here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to stay up to date with the latest. Follow us on X @mennewsdesk for all the latest stories and updates on breaking incidents from across the region and beyond, as well as on our Facebook page here. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our newsdesk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cowboy builder hit with £16k fine after taking money for work he never carried out
A cowboy builder has been slapped with more than £16,000 in court costs after misleading a couple over brick work to their property. Thomas Hickin, aged 38, was approached by the Stourbridge to install brick slips to the front of their property in 2021. Trading under Brickslip Brothers, he quoted them £4,250 for the work and took a deposit of £3,187.50 but provided no receipt. READ MORE: Man, 23, stabbed in Midlands town as police issue appeal Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp, click the link to join The work was due to start in June of that year but it was delayed until September as a result of delays related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Hickin then made several delays due to personal circumstances and the couple eventually asked to cancel the work in December 2021. But they were informed the contract could not be cancelled as the materials had already been cut to size. However despite repeated attempts from the homeowners to get the work done, the service and materials were not provided. The couple subsequently contacted Dudley Council's trading standards team in March 2022 when the work had still not stated. Hickin advised that as trading standards were now involved, he would not carry out the work but would drop off the materials, which he never did. Trading standards then visited Hickin's trading address and it was discovered he had not been based at the address since March 2021. When the team contacted Hickin to ask where materials were stored, he said they were at his business address, but officers advised him they had visited that site and no materials were found. Hickin continued not to cooperate with trading standards, other than arranging a delivery date for the materials, which were eventually delivered in October 2022. However, he did not supply the correct number of brick slips and the ones that were delivered were of poor quality. A Member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors was instructed to examine the materials delivered, who confirmed there were not enough brick slips and those supplied were not the correct size or quality. The materials estimated value was believed to be around £615. Appearing at Walsall Magistrates court on June 19, Hickin pleaded guilty to a single offence contrary to the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPUT 2008). The magistrates said before sentencing that they noted Hickin had delayed and mislead the homeowners, putting forward excuses that were not credible and that as work had not been carried out, it had caused a lot of stress and anxiety to the Stourbridge couple. The court sentenced Hickin, of Long Itchington in Southam, to a fine of £1,350, compensation of £3,500 to the victims, a further compensation of £500 for stress and anxiety, a victim surcharge £540 and costs totalling £10,480. This amounted to a total of £16,370. Cllr Phil Atkins, cabinet member for development and regulation, said: "Our trading standards team works tirelessly to seek justice for our residents and this case is a reminder that we will not hesitate to act against rogue traders. "It was clear that Mr Hickin had no intension of returning the deposit or delivering the correct materials but when our team got involved he supplied useless materials, so they investigated and carried out this successful prosecution."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Moment 'rich kid influencer' with Versace crockery arrested for £200k fraud
Witness the moment a 'deluded rich kid influencer' was nicked for conning over £200,000 to bankroll his dream Instagram influencer lifestyle. Jack Watkin, 26, exploited the allure of the designer handbag brand Hermes as a ploy to coax people into parting with their cash to sustain his lavish lifestyle, a court was told. The phoney millionaire assured his victims that he had contacts who could secure access to the handbags and that they could share the profits from resale, a crown court heard. Read more: 'Stressed' drug dealer caused carnage However, when they never received a bag or any financial return on their investment, they demanded their money back - but he always had excuses at the ready. Watkin, previously of Wilmslow Road, Alderley Edge, showed up at Chester Crown Court where he admitted to eight counts of fraud by false representation. Detective Constable Gareth Yates, of Cheshire Constabulary Economic Crime Unit stated: "Watkin's deluded himself that he was a successful rich kid influencer. "But in reality, he was nicking money from well-off individuals under the pretence of 'business opportunities' to fund his pricey penchant for fast cars, luxury goods, including Versace crockery, and designer footwear and clothing. "Watkin's victims were left out of pocket by thousands and for some, their reputation took a hit when deals couldn't be honoured due to Watkin's criminal venture. "It was never going to end well, and his downfall was inevitable. "Eventually his lies caught up with him and he is now facing the consequences of his deceit, and his perversions." Hermes handbags aren't items you can just pick up from a shop; an exclusive invite is needed to snap up this luxury good – making it not just a fashion statement but an investment as resale values often exceed original prices. Watkin conned a woman into parting with thousands under the guise of investing in these coveted Hermes bags, when in reality her money was squandered on lavish expenses at the Dorchester Hotel in London, according to what was heard in court. The woman was left bagless and profitless from their supposed shared venture in the high-end resale market. Becoming wary of Watkin's never-ending excuses, she reported the vanished funds to the Metropolitan Police back in 2022. Her case was transferred to the sharp-eyed squad of Cheshire Constabulary's Economic Crime Unit, prompting a thorough probe. Their diligent efforts revealed a pattern of victims and a lavish lifestyle filled with luxury items and extravagant hotel stays, all funded through Watkin's deception of six individuals. Amid the investigation, officers also stumbled upon indecent imagery stored on Watkin's phone. Previously, Watkin was convicted for holding indecent images, extreme pornography, and prohibited pictures. He remains behind bars, awaiting his sentence for both the fraud and indecent image charges. The judgment day is penned for Wednesday September 3 at Chester Crown Court.
