A HAPPY ending has come for three kittens that were abandoned for more than a week without enough food and water in Flintshire.

The Leader previously reported from Mold Crown Court that Samantha McIntyre, 44, left her cat Lulu and three kittens alone for nine days in her then Flint home in Coed Onn Road whilst she was visiting her new partner in Bradford.

In court, she claimed that she gave her former partner permission to go into the property to feed the cats with three days supply of food she had left, but she stayed longer than planned in Yorkshire and the RSPCA were called out.

The animal rescue charity was alerted to the situation by McIntyre’s neighbours, who suspected the felines had been abandoned.

The rescued kittens were underweight and Lulu was found to be emaciated and a post-mortem revealed that she died as a result of malnutrition.

The three kittens involved in this case were rehomed after being cared for at the RSPCA’s Bryn-Y-Maen Animal Centre in Colwyn Bay and were named Zoe, Orla and Thea by staff.

All of the kittens are said to be doing well and have recovered from the ordeal.

A spokesman for RSPCA Cymru confirmed: "Orla and Thea were rehomed to the same owner and Zoe to a separate home. We are so happy this case had a happy ending for the kittens involved."

On November 26, McIntyre was given a 16 week prison sentence, suspended by 18 months, and a ban from keeping animals for two years.

McIntyre, who has now moved to Fagley, Bradford, was also billed £500 costs and a victim surcharge of £122.