Claire Cassidy's five-year-old cat Bono had to have emergency out-of-hours treatment at Horsebridge Vets after being shot in the eye by an air gun pellet.

Mrs Cassidy, of Upper Horsebridge Road, told the Gazette, "He came home with blood pouring out of his eye.

"The pellet had gone through his eye and out the other side. It had lodged behind his ear."

Mrs Cassidy said she believed the incident happened on a patch of ground close to the children's playground in Lower Horsebridge, in the early evening of July 14.

And she warned other pet owners in the area to be on their guard in case any similar shootings occur.

She added, "People have been seen over there with air guns.

"It's obviously deliberate because they have shot him right in his eye. He looks quite horrific.

"He can't go out now — I won't let him out.

"If he had been run over I could have coped with it but for someone to take a shot at someone's pet is just horrible.

"If there had been a stray pellet and a child in the playground nearby it could have been disastrous."

Mrs Cassidy, who only moved to Horsebridge from Ireland in February, said she had run up more than £1,000 in veterinary bills.

She said, "Someone's stupidity has blinded my cat and cost me a lot of money."

Police confirmed they had received a complaint from Mrs Cassidy and are investigating the incident.

A spokesperson told the Gazette they had not been made aware of any similar incidents in the area.

Horsebridge Veterinary Centre added they had not treated any other cats or dogs for shot wounds but did say seagulls had come under attack from air gun pellets.