A sickly litter of tiny puppies were discovered dumped inside a field during brutally cold weather with disfigurements and covered in mange.

The seven spaniels were recently found cowering in a Swanley field infested with mites and suffering severe leg deformities.

New Hope Animal Rescue in Herne Bay has released heartbreaking images of the neglected animals, believed to have been kept in cruel conditions and abandoned.

A spokesman for New Hope said: “We had such a sad case and a real heartbreaking start to life for this little family.

“These seven spaniel puppies were dumped in horrendous condition.

“At first glance, it may just look like their skin is the issue.

“They have a severe untreated case of Demodex mange, although awful that’s not the worst of it for this gang.

“They have severe deformities in their legs, both back and front, some more serious than others.”

The charity believes poor nutrition and being kept in a cramped space while they were growing is likely the cause of their leg problems.

New Hope shared the puppies’ plight in a Facebook post which has gained massive attention.

It has been shared 3,700 times, and has more than 1,000 comments.

The spokesman continued: “They are full of worms and passing straw when they are going to the toilet.

“They are so urine scalded their legs are deeply ulcerated in places.

“This is a risky time for them but we hope we can pull them all through.

“These guys are going to require a lot of care.”

After being rescued, the pooches were taken straight to a vet to be checked over and are undergoing treatment.

They are now back at New Hope’s Herne Bay facility to be nursed back to full health and given the care they deserve.

Adoption enquiries are not yet being taken for the litter until their back to full health.

If you would like to make a contribution to the dogs’ care, you can donate to the charity here.

The charity cares for a variety of neglected animals ranging from horses to birds and other wildlife.