Cliff and his new family

Pets were tied in plastic bag and dumped before being rescued and given to Battersea Cats and Dogs Home

A pair of young cats tightly bound in a plastic bag and callously in a public waste bin has been miraculously saved and set up home with a Dartford family.

Cliff has a serious eye complaint leaving him with poor sight, but now he can rely on loving eyes watching over him all day.

He was found ditched in the dustbin along with his sister May by a member of public who heard their pitiful mewls begging for help.

The 18-month-olds were spotted next to a London canal, and staff at Battersea Cats and Dogs Home, which has a centre at Brands Hatch, say they are thankful whoever dumped them used the bin and not the water.

When the terrified pair arrived at Battersea staff were sickened at the state of Cliff’s swollen and cloudy eyes caused by longstanding glaucoma.

His condition, although treatable to a degree, would leave most potential owners moving to the next enclosure.

But for Claire Sigley and her family of Seaton Road, Dartford, it was love at first sight when they saw the pair on Battersea’s website and she wanted to keep the pair of cats together.

She said: “Sadly our cat passed away and we decided that we’d like to give a home to a pair of cats. Cliff and May sounded really sweet so we enquired about them and when we found out their sad story it made us want them all the more.

“They’ve settled in to their new life so well and are such affectionate and confident cats. Hopefully in time we can let Cliff out in the garden for supervised play time but for now he and May seem happy sunning themselves around the house. I can’t believe anyone could be so mean, but we’re glad we’ve been able to give them a loving home.”

Ros Davies from Battersea’s cattery added: “Cliff and May are a delightful pair of cats who deserve the very best after what they’ve been through. We’ll miss their little characters but are thrilled they’ve found such a great family.”

Cliff is pictured with the family Claire, Tony and little Madison, six, but May was a little more camera shy.