A hamster was left locked in an exercise ball in its cage and dumped near some bins.

Thankfully neighbours spotted the tiny rodent, abandoned in Catlyn Close, West Malling, and quickly got it help.

The pet was taken in by the residents on Tuesday (August 15) who called the RSPCA.

She is now in their care and receiving plenty of TLC.

However, the ginger Syrian hamster was found to have an eye infection and was very hungry and thirsty.

RSPCA inspector Kirsten Ormerod said said the pet “was very lucky to have been discovered” and that she feared what could have happened if she had remained in the bin when they were collected.

She said: “She’d been secured inside the exercise ball which had then been put inside the cage, so she wasn’t easy to see and could have very easily been undiscovered.

“Abandoning an animal is never the right thing to do, and this hamster was left vulnerable to all sorts of dangers.

“I’m keen to hear from anyone with information about who owns her. The cage she was left inside is quite distinctive – five stories tall with pink and blue plastic tunnels around the outside, so I’m hopeful someone will recognise the cage.”

Anyone with information can contact the RSPCA’s inspector’s appeal line number by calling 0300 123 8018.

The RSPCA has seen a huge rise in the number of animal abandonments this year. In June alone there were 2,047 incidents reported to the charity RSPCA, compared to 1,527 in June last year –a 34% increase.

In order to combat this rise the charity has launched its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign, to fund its frontline rescue teams.

The RSPCA has dedicated cost-of-living support to help owners with vet bills and food costs which includes a telephone helpline on 0300 123 0650 and an online hub.