Children beat and kicked a three-week-old kitten so badly that it died.

The animal was taken to the Parrock Street Veterinary Surgery, in Gravesend, after a passer-by saw the youngsters attacking it and intervened.

Veterinary nurse Amy Everden, who tried to save the tortoiseshell kitten she named Hettie, said: “A member of the public came in and said a few children were kicking it outside the shops in Kitchener Avenue.

“It was only three to four weeks old, and was emaciated. I don’t know if they had a litter or if they just found it.

“There was a lot of damage to her face and head. It died overnight, its throat was very swollen where it had been kicked.

“It is absolutely awful that people could do that to such an innocent animal.”

Hettie was so severely dehydrated and starving, weighing just 260g, half of what she should have done, that medics had to put fluid in under the skin on her paw rather than straight into a vein through a drip.

The kitten was kicked by children outside shops in Kitchener Avenue

The kitten was also very cold and staff tried to warm her up with a hot water bottle.

It is thought Hettie may have suffered broken ribs and/or punctured lungs as she couldn’t breathe properly and was too weak for an X-ray.

Amy, who has two cats of her own, added: “I was devastated when she died. It was just too much for her.”

Veterinary Nurse Amy Everden battled to save the kitten's life

The RSPCA is now investigating last Thursday’s incident, which happened at about noon.

An RSPCA spokesman said: “We would really like to hear from anyone who was involved in her attack or saw anything.

“Treating animals this way is not good and we need to find out who is responsible.

“We do pursue people for this in the courts or youth courts.

"People can’t get away with it just because they are youngsters and parents should know what they are up to.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.