CAT owners in Great Sankey have been raising awareness of the dangers of anti-freeze poisoning after a spate of cases on the Briarswood estate have left owners 'traumatised and heartbroken'.

Facebook group Chapelford Cats has been spreading the word to prevent any other pets from dying after two cats lapped up the liquid last week and later suffered serious kidney failure.

It is thought a cruel resident on the estate has been leaving anti-freeze out deliberately to poison pets leading to calls for owners to be vigilant and report any information to the RSPCA and police.

Mum Julie Allen has so far been one of the lucky owners after seeing the warnings on Facebook.

She said: "We rushed our cat Oscar to the vets after he had started being sick or he might not have survived.

"It's disgraceful somebody is doing this and it's scary to think we may now have to keep him inside to protect him."

Staff at Four Paws veterinary centre in Great Sankey confirmed there had been three cases within a week.

Many animals find anti-freeze sweet tasting but ingesting even the smallest amount can lead to death.

Symptoms to look out for include vomiting, being abnormally sleepy and appearing drunk and uncoordinated.

Karen Mercer, who runs the Chapelford Cats group, said: "Anti-freeze poisoning is truly a horrific way for a cat to die.

"Spotting the signs early is vital for getting emergency veterinary treatment.

"Families are devastated, children are heartbroken and we need to raise awareness."