Almost seventy feral cats and kittens enjoyed Christmas in a safe new home this year thanks to a successful programme at Sellafield.

As with many large industrial sites, the Seascale nuclear plant has been home to a population of feral cats for many years.

But recently, groups had begun congregating near offices and change rooms and their droppings were presenting a health hazard to staff.

Sellafield, with help from local animal rescue charities, decided to begin a programme to humanely trap, monitor and remove the animals from the site earlier this year.

So far 66 cats have been successfully removed and many found new homes in the community, including with Sellafield staff.

Fred Conway is one these employees who, having seen a kitten and its mother living on the site, decided to adopt both in October.

Fred said: “Harry the kitten and his mam, Star, have settled in well at home and our older cat, AJ, has really taken to them both; particularly Harry who is very friendly and loving.

“This is an extremely positive programme with the welfare of the animals as the top priority.

“Both cats are healthy and well behaved and have adapted to domestic life surprisingly quickly.

“We’ve had no problems with them at all, other than AJ teaching Harry how to climb our Christmas tree.”

There are still an estimated 20 to 30 remaining which need to be removed from the site.

The relocation programme will continue in the new year.

Any cats that do not find new homes will be neutered and returned to the Sellafield site.