This cute kitten was condemned to a cruel death until she was plucked to safety by Kay Ainsley.

Ms Ainsley was putting rubbish into a wheelie bin in Hillier Road, Devizes, when she heard meowing.

In another bin she found a zipped up bag containing the kitten.

Horrified, Ms Ainsley and her friend Gill Ford took the kitten to Macqueen’s vets on Hopton Industrial Estate, where staff have named her Molly.

Ms Ainsley, who made her find on Tuesday afternoon, said: “The kitten was terrified and was physically shaking. I was in shock that anybody could dump an animal in a wheelie bin.”

Molly, thought to be at least nine weeks old, is responding well to treatment and will be kept in for seven days before attempts are made to rehome her.

Macqueen’s vet Kate Richardson said: “We all appreciate times are tough but it appals us when animals are abandoned in this way.”