PET owners have been warned to keep a watchful eye on their animals after a teenage paper boy found two dead cats hanging outside a Pendle high school.

Adam Hall, 13, of Ghyll Meadows, Barnoldswick, made the gruesome discovery just 20 minutes before pupils arrived at West Craven High School today. His mum Gail called the police and officers cut down the cats, which were hanged on a wooden post opposite the school's front gates.

"He came back home from his round and said he had seen two cats hanged from a post outside some flats opposite the school," said Gail.

"One was a tortoiseshell and the other was black and white. One had been hanged with string round its neck and the other had its legs tied and been hanged as well.

"It's sick, really, really sick. You can't comprehend how someone could do a thing like that. "They were someone's pets and you wonder what they did to those poor animals before they hanged them.

"Adam wasn't feeling too good before anyway and when he saw the cats he said it made him feel sick to his stomach.

"He didn't stay around. He just came away and told us about it when he got home.

"I didn't really know who to ring but I was worried that children going to school would see them."

Adam, a pupil at West Craven, missed school today because he felt so unwell after witnessing the sickening sight.

Sergeant John Fry, of Pendle police, said: "Our main concern at first was to get the cats because it would have been quite distressing for children arriving at the school to see them there.

"Obviously someone is killing cats in that area and they may do it again. We would warn pet owners in the area to be aware of this and be vigilant for their pets.

"If anyone knows who did this and saw anyone acting suspiciously we want to hear from them."

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the police on 01282 425001.

No-one at the school was available to comment.

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