A bizarre spate of cats getting their heads stuck in food tins has broken out in an area of Dudley today prompting calls for householders to crush cans before putting them out for recycling.

A local councillor says he is beginning to fear there may be a more sinister reason for the incidents as he has heard of at least four cases of cats being found with their heads embedded in cans in the Saltwells and Bowling Green Road area of Netherton.

Councillor Bryan Cotterill, who represents Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood, said the incidents were reported to the Saltwells Tenants and Residents Association helpline.

The latest report was yesterday, when a cat was found fighting for breath in the Bowling Green Road area and residents fought to free the terrified animal.

Councillor Cotterill said: “It’s very concerning. It may be that the cats are getting stuck when people put their cans out for recycling or that they are leaving tins out to feed wildlife.

“But it has been happening so often that I am beginning to smell a rat and suspect that someone might be doing this deliberately.

“Whatever the reason, as an animal lover, I think it is worth advising people to squash their tins before putting them out for recycling so that cats are not at risk.”

RSPCA west region spokesman Judith Haw said: “This is a common problem, especially as more and more recycling is going on.

“We do appeal to people putting cans out for recycling to wash them first or crush them so that animals, including cats, cannot get their heads stuck.”

Veterinary nurse Diane Westwood, a volunteer with the Saltwells Nature Res-erve Support Group in Neth-erton, said: “Councillor Cotterill has spoken to me about this problem and it is worrying.

“If someone is deliberately doing this to cats then it is very cruel.”