It seems either some thoughtless person has been dumping anti-freeze in the streets of Blackpole, Worcester, or a sick individual has a grudge against the area's cats.

Whatever the case, two much-loved pets are now dead after apparently eating the sweet-tasting, but highly poisonous substance.

Stacey Fisk's cat Pusscat had to be put down after he kept going limp and falling over, while Natasha Gillett's cat Shorty suffered the same fate on his second visit to the vet after he was found staggering in the street.

Although kidney infections cannot be ruled out as the cause of the two cats' deaths, the fact that both exhibited the symptoms of anti-freeze poisoning at the same time is surely more than coincidence.

If there is an animal poisoner on the loose in Worcester, pet owners in the city should be on the alert - and tell police if they see anything suspicious.

Equally, if the anti-freeze was left lying around by accident, or even worse, dumped, it's a warning to everyone that disposing of rubbish carelessly can have tragic consequences Naturally, both Stacey and Natasha, who is Stacey's stepmother, are devastated. Natasha acquired Shorty to try and get over a bout of depression and the animal meant the world to her.

Unfortunately, there is little that cat lovers can do to protect their pets short of locking them indoors - and unfortunately, once the substance has been ingested, the outcome is generally fatal.

We just hope this is an isolated incident and other pet owners are not put through the same grief as Stacey and Natasha.