Adorable kittens use up one of their nine lives after being rescued from conveyor belt at Hartlepool waste centre

The newborn cats are lucky to be alive after they were spotted by eagle-eyed workers at J&B Recycling as they sorted through rubbish.

It is thought they may have found their way into a recycling bin that was picked up by one of the firm’s lorries earlier that day and then tipped onto the plant’s conveyor belt.

The kittens, both male, have been nicknamed Jesse and Bobby – or J&B for short – and are being cared for by the RSPCA.

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RSPCA officer Shane Lynn who went out to collect the kittens said: “These kittens were incredibly lucky to have been spotted by the eagle-eyed workers.

“If it wasn’t for their quick actions they could have been killed by the machinery at the plant.

“They’re very young so are extremely vulnerable, especially away from their mum, so we took them to Stanhope Park Veterinary Hospital where the out-of-hours team managed to warm them up and they’re now being hand-reared by a vet nurse who will give them all of the TLC they need.

“They were extremely cold and quite weak but, thankfully, don’t seem seriously affected by their ordeal so hopefully they should pull through and, eventually, we’ll be able to find them loving new homes.”

It is thought the kittens may have been born stray to a feral cat. Shane said mother cats can choose rather unusual places to give birth and use a bin for shelter before being separated when the bin was emptied.

They still had their eyes closed and cords attached when found.

The RSPCA say they will help any injured or sick stray cats, or those in immediate danger, but does not have the resources to respond to calls about healthy strays.

If you’re concerned about the welfare of a stray cat, contact the emergency hotline for advice on 0300 1234999.

The RSPCA adds it will help thousands of animals in need this winter and donating £25 could help to keep an animal rescue team on the road.

To help visit www.rspca.org.uk/xmas

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