Help came just in the nick of time for a quartet of kittens – when they were found abandoned at a rubbish dump.

The tiny foursome – thought to be not more than a few days old – were cast out by their unloving owners.

But thanks to some kind-hearted employees at the household waste recycling centre in Portman Walk the cuddly siblings are now safe and being nursed back to health.

David Smith, coordinator at the Ipswich branch of Cats Protection, who are now looking after the kittens, said they were brought to them just before it was too late.

“They were only three days old,” said Mr Smith. “They were filthy dirty and there were also ants in their coats.

“We’ve seen fleas and ticks but never ants before.

“Because of the heat and dehydration, another couple of hours and they wouldn’t have made it.

“It’s something that’s more and more common (abandoning cats) these days. Words just fail me. I’ve never seen them this young before.”

Mr Smith added the cats are now taking their milk well and will be looked after by Cats Protection for the next six weeks, when they will have blood tests to make sure they aren’t carrying diseases.

Three weeks later they will have the first of two inoculations before being put up for adoption.

And Mr Smith said even if they are adopted straight away Cats Protection will provide the second inoculation and neuter the cats a few weeks later.

“They’ve been given another chance so we’ll hope they live long and happy lives,” he added.