TWO puppies were left to die among bags of rubbish just yards from a Worcestershire rescue centre which had been hosting a dog show.

The five-week-old pups were found by two girls, who heard their squeals and alerted nearby rescue centre staff.

Sindie Sinclair, who runs the Greenacres Animal Rescue at Badsey, near Evesham, is now taking care of the puppies.

"We'd had a really nice day running the flower and dog show across the road from the centre," said Mrs Sinclair.

"We'd come home and settled all our animals down, then we heard all this commotion.

"Two girls came over to us to tell us about the puppies.

"We heard crying and squeaking. They were trying to struggle out of the box they were in."

She said the tiny pups had been left in a box and rubbish had been piled on top.

"It's disgusting, especially when there's a rescue centre across the road," said Mrs Sinclair.

"We could have understood if they'd said they couldn't look after them any more.

"They were just left to die or be thrown out with the rubbish and crushed.

"It was 10pm and a fox could have had them.

"They're still very upset. They must have just whipped them off their mother."

The puppies are Jack Russell terrier and border collie cross-breeds and have been named Lucky and Spot.

When they were found on Saturday, they were riddled with worms, and Mrs Sinclair said she also feared for the mother's health.

"She will need attention too," she said.

"These puppies have terrible worms and it's likely she does as well. She could also have mastitis.

"The puppies are tiny and have been removed far too early.

"They are supposed to be weaned properly as it causes all sorts of behavioural problems."

Mrs Sinclair hopes to re-home the puppies once they are ready to leave the centre.