THE cruel death of a four-month-old kitten that was found with a burned face and punctured lung, sickened The Evening Star so much we have offered a £500 reward to catch the people who did this.

By Jessica Nicholls

THE cruel death of a four-month-old kitten that was found with a burned face and punctured lung, sickened The Evening Star so much we have offered a £500 reward to catch the people who did this.

Last week we revealed the horrific story of tiny kitten Sooty who disappeared from his home in Bonnington Road, Ipswich, only to be discovered days later with such horrific injuries that he had to be put down.

Reader Graham Hart from Great Finborough has shown that he really is all heart after he read the sad story and decided to give Sooty's owner, Terri Anderson a kitten that he found on his farm.

Terri was over the moon with the new black and white kitten that she has named Patch and said the act of generosity has almost restored her faith in human kind.

She said: "She is lovely, I just did not feel complete without a pet.

"I just cannot believe that someone should be so kind.

"I have had quite a few remarks from people about what happened – it is nice to know that people out there are thinking of me."

Her three-year-old daughter Charlotte is now getting used to having a different kitten in the house.

Terri said: "She keeps asking where Sooty is and I tell her that he is in heaven and that she must give all her love to this cat now."

Mr Hart and his wife Ruth travelled over to Ipswich on Saturday to present Terri with the new kitten.

He said: "A kitten came into the house from off the farm and we could not put it out again – it seemed so friendly.

"We got it house trained and were going to put up a sign outside giving it away free to a good home, but when we saw the piece in the paper we decided to give it to her.

"She (Terri) could not believe it when I phoned, she was just over the moon."

Suffolk police are looking into the incident involving Sooty, who disappeared on the afternoon of Tuesday November 13.

A man had been seen trying to stop a group of youngsters tormenting a cat and Terri believes this cat could have been Sooty.

Anyone with information should call Suffolk police on 01473 613500.