COUNCILLORS fear that a cat found dead in a public park could have been tortured before it died.

Brighton and Hove city councillors Nick Lewry and Dawn Barnett have raised concerns after a ginger cat was found in Hangleton Park with its tail cut off.

A dogwalker made the grim discovery on Saturday morning and residents told the councillors that a cat's cries could be heard on Friday night.

Cllr Lewry said that there had been a spate of cat knappings by youngsters in the area last year with one pet recovered doused in petrol.

The Conservative councillor said he had been trying to track down the owner of the cat found on Saturday and would be meeting with vets today. [Monday] Locals are hopeful that the area is not going to beset with similar problems as Croydon where up to 50 cat deaths have been attributed to one sadistic attacker dubbed the "Cat Ripper of Croydon".

A £5,000 reward for information leading to the perpetrator's arrest has been offered in South London.

Cllr Lewry said: "It looks like the cat has been dumped there in the park, it does not appear that it went there to die.

"The injuries sustained do not look like they were caused by an animal, it looks like the tail was cut off mechanically.

"It's such a horrible thing, I can't understand why someone would do this."