VOLUNTEERS at an Accrington charity had a surprise special delivery - when they found a kitten in their letterbox!
Dorothy McGregor, co-ordinator of Maundy Grange in Abbey Street, made the discovery when she arrived for work. The kitten - christened Post-it by staff - had been left in the letterbox overnight, and big-hearted volunteer Chris Simmonds, 19, offered to take it home with him.
Dorothy said: "I came in at 5.30 in the morning and I could hear a very faint mewing sound but I didn't know where it was coming from. I checked the letterbox and that's when I found the kitten. It was half-starved and frozen and it was very frightened at first. But after a while it started to perk up.''
She added the mystery woman who left the kitten had since returned to Maundy Grange to explain what had happened. The woman claimed she had overheard two girls in a pub who were discussing drowning the kitten so she bought it from them for £5. But as her daughter was allergic to cats, she decided to leave it at Maundy Grange in the hope that someone would care for it.
The kitten was left there for around six hours before it was discovered.
Dorothy said: "I was more concerned that somebody had managed to push it through the slot, as it has a very strong hinge and I was worried it might be hurt. But it got spoiled all day by the staff and we had several offers of a home for it. However, Chris is keeping it as he loves animals."
Chris, who lives in Roe Greave Road, Oswaldtwistle, has been a volunteer with the charity for three years.
He said: "I took Post-it home that night. I'm used to cats and I was planning on getting a pet anyway. I had it checked out by the vet and he said that everything is fine. It is pretty well trained so whoever it belonged to must have looked after it."
