TWO devastated sisters have spoken out about the horrific injuries their family pet suffered at the hands of a "potential cat killer".

Rebecca and Amie Giddins, of Spa Garth, Highmoor Park, Clitheroe, are now nursing their seven-year-old cat, Splash, back to health after one of her legs was amputated in the wake of an airgun attack.

And while neighbours claim to have experienced similar attacks, only the girls' mum, Anita Mitchell, 41, has reported the incident.

Police are urging potential witnesses or owners of attacked pets to contact them.

Splash was playing in the back garden last Monday when she was found to be limping badly.

She was taken to a vet where it was discovered that an airgun pellet had shattered the shoulder bone above her front right leg. There was no other option but to amputate.

Care worker Rebecca, 19, still has the pellet that removed from Splash's shoulder as a grim memento.

She said: "This is a quiet area and you don't expect things like this to happen. We want to make people aware that there is a potential cat killer out there.

"We felt really, really upset because we've had her since she was a kitten and she's part of the family. She lost a leg because of someone's stupidity."

Her sister, Amie, 21, who works at Boots, added that it was not just the emotional cost of the attack that was high.

"It's the bills as well. To have a leg taken off cost £500 and plus antibiotics it's a lot of money," she said.

The family is leafleting estate residents in the hope that they can get other people to contact the police.

Rebecca claims she knows who attacked Splash and that it is the latest in a growing number of animal assaults that have taken place over the past few months.

Myerscough Veterinary Group, Princess Avenue, Clitheroe, treated Splash but declined to comment about her injuries due to client confidentiality.