THE RSPCA is hunting callous people who threw three boxes packed with live rabbits from the back of a van.

Three crisp boxes containing 10 domestic bunnies, were thrown from the back of a black Transit-type vehicle in Wesley Street, Oswaldtwistle.

The van, believed to be carrying two men, then drove off.

RSPCA Inspector Stephen Greenhalgh said: "It was a very callous act. The rabbits must have been fairly tightly packed in the boxes because they were all adults. It is the most brazen abandonment I can remember. It is quite extraordinary."

The rabbits were eventually rounded up by passers-by and an RSPCA official and are being kept temporarily at Altham Animal Shelter.

Mr Greenhalgh said: "If anybody has a neighbour who had a lot of rabbits and then suddenly didn't they should contact us. Abandonment of any animal is an offence and we want to catch up with who did it."

Anyone with any information is asked to ring the RSPCA on 0990 555999.

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