Foster parenting can be a daunting business, especially if you find yourself with triplets to look after.

So imagine how tricky it must be when you find the youngsters who are going to be living with you are not even members of your own species.

It’s a situation with which one resident from New Romney is well acquainted - and by all accounts is coping admirably.

Yorkshire terrier Belle is a foster mother for the Cats Protection League and is raising a litter of three kittens.

Not only does Belle look after the moggies but she suckles them as well.

Owner Ruth Handley, from Lydd Road, explained: “We discovered that she would do this when we had some kittens from a farm nearby and she started suckling them.

“Since then she has helped with two litters of foster kittens.”

She added: “Belle has never had puppies of her own, so it’s quite unusual that she should produce milk.”