THESE tiny kittens are being hand-fed by a foster mum - after they were found "callously" dumped in a skip with their dead mother.

The three-week-old kittens - unofficially christened Rag, Tag and Bobtail - were discovered, cold and hungry, ten days ago.

The skip was in Rodney Parade, Newport, but the kittens were rescued by staff at Thomas Waste Management when it arrived at the firm's Brynmawr base.

Staff called the local Cats Protection charity, and now volunteer Sharon Raymond, who lives in Newport, is foster mum to the three mischievous kittens - two females and one tom.

"The staff who found them tried to keep them warm, but they were very hungry, very dirty and very scared," said 49-year-old Mrs Raymond.

"I am syringe-feeding them, which takes about an hour and 15 minutes to do all of them - and they need feeding every three hours."

Mrs Raymond, who currently has five other kittens in her care, added it is believed the mother cat was already dead when she was dumped with her kittens in the skip.

Loretta Kedward, spokeswoman for the branch, said: "This was an unbelievably callous and needless act.

"Help would have been available from Cats Protection for the price of a phone call."

Rag, Tag and Bobtail will be ready for rehoming when they are around eight weeks old.

Anyone interested in giving a home to them can telephone 01633 895223.