A CAT was hurled from a car in a cardboard box in the latest incident of animal dumping in Basildon.

Poppy, a heavily pregnant tabby, is now recovering in the care of the Basildon, Brentwood & District branch of the animal charity Cats Protection.

Earlier this week the Echo reported Penny, a Yorkshire terrier puppy, had been found dumped in Great Mistley suffering with serious scald burns.

There have been 44 cats dumped in the last month.

In the latest incident, a black VW Golf was seen being driven erratically along The Gore, Basildon.

As it arrived opposite Ghyllgrove Community Junior School, the car stopped and the box containing the cat was hurled on to the pavement before the vehicle sped off.

A volunteer from Cats Protection was in the area and spotted the box moving. She opened it and found the cat inside.

Popppy was taken to a vet for a check-up after the incident, on Wednesday last week, and is now being cared for by Cats Protection while she waits for her kittens.

Brenda Bell, the charity’s homing and welfare officer, said: “How someone could do such a heartless thing, we do not understand.

If our volunteers had not luckily been in the area, goodness knows what would have happened.”

Earlier this month, the Echo reported seven kittens had been dumped in a cramped cardboard box in a subway inWickford.

The local branch of the cat charity has 30 cats and 56 kittens in its care waiting for a home. If you can offer a good home to a cat, call Cats Protection on 01268 285778.

The branch will be holding its next homing show on Saturday, August 3, at 10.30am, at Steeple View Community Hall, in Willowfield, Laindon.