NEIGHBOURS of a cat-loving Whittingham woman calling on the RSPCA to intervene after she was given permission to keep two dozen felines in her back garden.

Brenda White, of Halfpenny Lane, has been told she can erect a 2.4 metre-high fence around part of her rear garden, to create a compound for the 24 cats she keeps on behalf on a national cat rescue charity.

Preston Borough Council's planning committee were told how Brenda currently kept the cats in her house, and only allowed the pets she trusted not to stray to go out.

She had remortgaged her house to pay for the proposed enclosure.

But the council's decision has angered neighbours and the local parish council, who asked for the RSPCA to be consulted.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "Many of us have contacted the council, either by phone or by letter and we appear to have been ignored.

"We are worried that even more cats will end up staying here now and this huge fence won't keep cats in.

"Many of them are strays and I don't think they will struggle to get around a fence."

The committee heard the cats would be housed in a shed in the enclosure and the fence would ensure they couldn't get into busy Halfpenny Lane. But a delighted Brenda said: "I am very pleased to get the go-ahead, but I don't want to talk about it too much at the moment.

" I already have a full house of cats and don't want any more to be left on my doorstep."

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