A STOURPORT mother-of-five fears a cat poisoner is striking in the area after two of the family's moggies suffered "horrific" deaths, leaving her children heartbroken.

Carrie Newbery believes that Popcorn, a tortoiseshell, and three-year-old Ninja, a black tom, were deliberately fed antifreeze, although police say there is no proof of that.

Popcorn belonged to Miss Newbery's daughters Lillie, aged 11, and Ella, eight, and Ninja to Beth, 19 - all of whom were "devastated" at the loss of their well-loved pets.

Miss Newbery, of Bullus Road, says there is evidence that Ninja had eaten cat food laced with antifreeze and that Popcorn's death just two days earlier from similar symptoms is so much of a coincidence that she must also have suffered at the hands of the same poisoner.

"It's the most horrific death - and it's horrible for the children to have to bury their cats," said Miss Newberry, aged 49, a teaching assistant at Stourport Primary School.

"I couldn't watch the cats die in pain but it has been very costly to have them put down - a £35 vets bill for Popcorn and £186 for Ninja, because it was an emergency visit at 6am.

"That was money I was saving for a new bath as we only moved in here five months ago and are doing it up.

"We're keeping our other two cats, Feebee and Nessy, indoors now and I would like to put other cat owners on alert. They should go to the vets early if their cat doesn't seem to be itself, because if caught in time, their system can be flushed out and they might be saved."

Miss Newbery said she had heard talk of two other local cats falling victim to antifreeze poisoning recently.

She took two-year-old Popcorn to the vets after finding her having fits on Sunday, November 20.

But her organs were failing and the vet, who told her it was caused by antifreeze - possibly dropped by somebody on the ground - put her down.

Then, on the following Tuesday (Nov 22) Ninja was also ill and, soon after arriving at the vets, started having fits, leading to him being put to sleep.

Miss Newbery said Ninja had been fed only on dried food at home - but she found the cat had vomited meat in the bathroom, leading her to believe that he was deliberately poisoned somewhere outside, with the culprit putting antifreeze in cat food.

Wyre Forest District Councillor Steve Walker, who represents Broadwaters, Kidderminster, heard about the sad incidents because he knew the family and had taken in one of Popcorn and Ninja's kittens, Smudge, who is 12 weeks old.

Councillor Walker said: "It seems someone is being very vicious and cruel to cats and I am disgusted by it.

"I hope they are caught and punished."

However, Sgt Rich Rees, from the local policing, team said: "We have not had any similar incidents and at this time there is nothing to suggest this was a deliberate act."

"We urge people to be careful when using such substances to ensure local animals are not harmed and to make sure poisonous materials are properly disposed of."