Reports that two young pupils were suspended for torturing and killing a cat have been condemned as baseless rumours by their school.

Images of the boys have been circulated on social media following accounts the pet was impaled on spikes and thrown in front of a car.

Attached was the claim that Herne Bay High had suspended the pair and placed them in isolation for three days without alerting the police.

But school bosses have this morning moved to rubbish the speculation, which has gone viral and sparked threats of vigilante action against the pupils.

The school’s senior vice principal, Chris Harris, said: “We are aware of these rumours circulating on Facebook, but no evidence has been presented to us of any such event occurring.

“Herne Bay High School has not been made aware of the death of a cat and nor have any pupils been placed in isolation for such an event.

“If we had been made aware that our pupils were involved in an incident such as this you can be assured we would have taken it very seriously and the police would have been informed.

“If anybody does have information they should contact us or alert the relevant authorities.

“We take the safety and wellbeing of our pupils extremely seriously and are concerned at the use of social media to share such misinformation.”

Neither the police or RSPCA have received recent reports of a cat being killed in Herne Bay.