SOMEONE in a Cotswold village appears to have declared war on its cat population with a series of brutal attacks.

Two Cold Aston families say their animals have often come home in recent months limping and clearly in great pain. Two cats have even returned with broken tails after someone had apparently wrenched them back over their spines.

One of the two has had to have her tail amputated, but Christopher Tilly, who owns the other cat, Crumpet, says she may yet keep her tail if it heals.

He is urging other people whose animals have been assaulted to contact the police.