A VET has branded the action of a person who shot a cat with an airgun leaving it badly injured as callous.

Charlotte Hilleary of Bruton Vets operated to remove a pellet and repair a fractured leg when the cat was brought in by two women who had been feeding the stray cat and found it injured.

She said: "The pellet showed up in x-rays. It had fractured the femur.

"I've never seen one that caused such a bad injury.

"The cat was in a lot of pain. He would never have walked on that leg again without the surgery.

"It was a challenging operation - it was difficult."

The surgery involved pinning the bone and stabilising it with an external wire structure.

Bruton Vets made a considerable reduction in its fees and helped find a new home for the cat with an animal lover who lives near Warminster.

Ms Hilleary described the person who shot the cat in Bruton as callous and praised the action of the neighbours who took the cat to the vet as soon as possible.

She said: "It was the right thing. Don't leave it if you think something like this has happened.

"This cat is young and recovering well. I'm sure he'll make a full recovery."

She said police were investigating the incident.

The grey tabby cat has been named Thomas by new owner Lyn Payne.

She said: "It's absolutely dreadful to think that someone could shoot a cat.

"I was horrified when I heard what had happened. I can't believe anyone would do that.

"It makes you wonder what else they would do next."

Mrs Payne said a team of Thomas's admirers were doing fundraising to pay for treatment.

She said: "The people at Bruton Vets have been wonderful - totally dedicated and caring.

"Thomas is beautiful. We have to keep him in a pen for a while but he is making progress.

"He's still getting used to us but I am sure he'll settle in with our other animals. I absolutely love him."

Dee Adcock