POLICE raiding a flat for stolen goods were shocked to discover the devoured remains of a tabby cat lying on the floor, a court heard.

Locked in the kitchen with the pet were a starving adult cat and kitten, which appeared to have eaten the animal.

Officers who entered the home of Ramona Green (23), on Princess Parade, Bury, detected a strong smell of faeces and urine on entering the premises.

They went in the room to find the head, spine and tail of the creature lying in a doorway.

The rest of the body was missing, and the two other cats were found to be severely malnourished by vets.

Police called in the RSPCA, who took photographs of the scene as evidence of neglect for a prosecution.

Although there had been a supply of cat food in the room, the pets been not been fed for a substantial period.

A hearing at Bury Magistrates was told on Thursday that Green had been suffering from drug addiction and had been surprised to find one of her cats was dead.

Her defence stated that Green had spent little or no time at the flat, and had turned to petty crime in order to fund her habit.

It was maintained there was no way to know if the eaten cat had died of natural causes or been turned upon by the others.

Green pleaded guilty two counts of neglecting the surviving cats, which were later rehomed, and to the unrelated theft of a £300 camera from a home in Ingham Street.

However, she denied a burglary charge of taking £80 from a house in Price Street.

Compensation claims for £1,065 were made for the RSPCA and prosecution, and the court was asked to consider a ban on Green possessing animals.

The hearing relating to the animals was adjourned to April 15 for sentencing, while the police-related matters were adjourned until May 5.