A BROWNIES group has made Warrington Animal Welfare its charity of choice after it saved a kitten that their leader found in a skip.

Orford-based 36th St John’s Brownies have donated money and cat food to the volunteer-run rescue after a week-old kitten who was found in a skip at their leader’s workplace as it was about to be emptied by bin men.

Since named Skippy, the kitten was taken to Warrington Animal Welfare’s base on Slutchers Lane where it was placed with a cat who had just had a litter.

The foster mum took on the kitten and reared it as one of her own, and Skippy is now thriving at five weeks old.

Brownie leader Karen Wheelhouse said: “The bin men were emptying the skip when they heard a bit of a noise, so they put it back down and there was a little kitten looking very sorry for itself.

“They brought it up to the office so we whipped him off to Warrington Animal Welfare.

“The woman who runs it nursed it herself before putting it in with the cat – it was touch and go for a while and they didn’t think it would make it but now it’s doing really well.

“We don’t really know what happened to it but the welfare police think it may have been abandoned.

“A big burly fella who found it got quite attached to it and checks to see how it’s doing.”

The Vale Owen Road-based troupe decided to help Warrington Animal Welfare after Skippy’s narrow escape.

Karen added: “We did a fundraiser for Warrington Animal Welfare where the kids brought in food for the kittens and the unit has made a donation as well.

“I’m not a cat lover but I fell in love with Skippy.”