CAT owners in a Crewe street are appealing for help after five cats have been snared, shot or have disappeared in the last year.

In the most recent attack four-year-old Harley has been left without his left eye and with a ruptured ear canal after an airgun pellet was shot through his head.

The owner, who has asked to remain anonymous, has also lost another cat, Murphy, who is Harley's brother and also aged 4, who went missing six weeks ago and has not been seen since.

The incidents have happened in or near Warmingham Road in Crewe and during the past year other home owners have had cats snared and one other has disappeared while Harley has also been snared but luckily escaped.

Harley's owner explained: "One neighbour lost his cat and found it in a hedge. It had been snared. While another neighbour down the road found his cat in a snare in a hedge also."

Another cat has also gone missing from another house in the road.

Harley's latest brush with death happened at some point on Tuesday, September 11, and his owner was alerted when he did not come home at night.

He explained: "I went looking for him at around 11pm and found him huddled on the back doorstep in a shocking state.

"I initially thought he had been bitten by an animal but we took him to the vets and it was a pellet that went through his left eye and came out behind his ear, rupturing his ear canal.

"He has no balance because of the attack and he has to have another operation to remove his ear canal.

"It was heart breaking, it moves you to tears to see him."

The RSPCA has been called and together with the police are following up leads to try and track down and prosecute the culprit.

Kevin Hegarty, from the RSPCA, explained the possible sentence for the culprit could be six months in prison and a £5,000 fine.

He continued: "Harley is going to have to go back for more surgery and his owner will face around £600 in bills not to mention the emotional stress.

"We can confirm we are investigating the incident.

"It is quite horrific. There are 800 attacks of this nature across the country in a year and we are launching a regional campaign to try and stop people using airguns to shoot animals."

Harley's owner said he was appalled by the attack on his beloved pet: "I am horrified, I do not know why anybody would do this.

"I could understand if they were knocked down and it was an accident or if a wild animal attacked them but for someone to maliciously shoot them is horrific," Harley's owner added.

"If a child was in a field where somebody was shooting an airgun and got hit it could blind them. I would ask that if anybody sees somebody shooting an airgun in a field or something then to report it to the police."

Mr Hegarty has asked for anyone who may have any information about these incidents or any others to contact the National Cruelty line on 0870 5555999.