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Rabbit 'blown up' in firework horror
SADISTIC louts strapped a firework to a rabbit and blew it up.
Stunned members of the public found the dead animal on Fleetwood seafront with fireworks tied to its body.
Fireworks had been jammed between wire wrapped around the rabbit's body before the explosive was detonated.
Today, RSPCA officers today reacted with fury to the "appalling" act of cruelty.
Pet
Margaret Bysterbosch, Secretary of the North Fylde RSPCA, said: "Someone must have held on to the poor thing while someone else placed the fireworks.
"To catch a wild rabbit is almost impossible and that leads me to think it's a domestic pet – or perhaps a gang of lads have cornered it.
"I think it is appalling."
A man was out walking on Fleetwood seafront near Carr Road on Sunday – Bonfire Night – when he found the stricken rabbit.
The man, who asked not to be named, said: "I just don't know what scum could have done this. Someone had tied string round it and then they had put fireworks on it. It was burned around the head and it was dead.
"I couldn't believe it. There must have been about 10 or 15 people who had seen it.
"If a little kiddie had come past and seen it, it would have been awful."
The dead rabbit was removed from the seafront by Wyre Council foreshore worker Steve Smith who was checking lifebelts on the Lower Walk.
He said: "It was a horrible thing to see.
"I did not want other members of the public to see this – especially children – so I put the animal into a bag and disposed of it in a hygienic way. I couldn't believe it that someone would do such a thing. It was sickening."
Mrs Bysterbosch said there had been no more attacks on animals locally but in North Fylde around 20 dogs had run off after being frightened by the noise of fireworks over the Bonfire Night weekend.
She said: "Bonfire night just used to be one night. Now it starts well before – it's like Beirut.
"We have had people ringing up from all over the place worried about their dogs.
"Those who are setting these fireworks off don't seem to know or care what heartbreak they can cause."
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
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