A 50-year-old Ipswich woman has been banned from keeping animals for 10 years after admitting welfare offences relating to her five cats and two dogs.

Colleen Robinson, of Kerry Avenue, left her pets at home for up to a week while visiting her mother.

Robinson had admitted causing unnecessary suffering to two cats and two dogs between April 17 and April 20 by not providing adequate provision for water, which left them dehydrated.

She had also pleaded guilty to three counts of failing in her duty of welfare to her cats Giszmo, Tara, Roxy, Garfield and Rosie, as well as her cocker spaniel Sam and Staffordshire Bull terrier Cassie.

These charges embraced dates between April 14 and April 22.

At her plea hearing before South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court heard from the prosecution how Robinson had left the animals at her home while going to see her mother.

The court was told she could not remember how long the animals had been left, but it could have been a week.

In the end an RSPCA officer had to gain entry to the property with a locksmith and a police officer to rescue the animals, which were then taken into the charity’s care.

RSPCA officials had previously tried to feed the animals through the letterbox.

A vet examined the animals and said two cats Garfield and Rosie and the two dogs had been caused unnecessary suffering because lack of water leading to them becoming dehydrated.

In addition to her disqualification from keeping animals - which she can challenge after five years - Robinson was given a 12-month community order.

She was also ordered to pay £500 towards prosecution costs, £60 to the victims’ fund and a £150 criminal courts charge.