Animal welfare volunteers are urging people to check containers for trapped animals after a badly decomposed rabbit was found in a discarded pink box by a toddler.

The grim discovery was spotted next to a bin by a mum at walking through Falcon Court by the Fulston Manor School in Sittingbourne.

She said: “We found it by a public bin around Falcon Court.

“My daughter was being a nosey two-year-old and wanted to open it.

“Once it was opened a decomposing rabbit was found inside.

“It was a horrible sight, not pleasant at all, I wanted to share it so no one else's kids had to endure that.”

After finding the horrible scene on Saturday, June 10, the woman shared her experience on Facebook.

Following the post a Cats Protection volunteer went to the site the following day to see if the animal was chipped.

A spokesman for the charity said: “One of our wonderful Cats Protection volunteers has been out to this.

“The animal is very decomposed but she believes it may be a rabbit. She has scanned for a chip as far as possible with no chip detected.

“Given the state of decomposition, it's likely this animal was already deceased before being put there.

“However, this does go to show the importance of checking dumped boxes and bags as there are often live animals inside them who can be saved. Yes, you might feel a bit awkward, but you could also save lives.

“Thank you very much to our wonderful volunteer for going out. It's a very grim situation to deal with.

"This was a distressing discovery and it goes to show what our volunteers can face. This time it wasn't a cat in danger but our volunteers go above and beyond to help, even when they cannot know what they'll find.

“Sometimes this can include cats that have been abandoned or have become trapped.

"In such hot weather, we urge people to check before locking spaces such as garages and sheds. Cats can seek out places away from the sun but when they fall asleep, they can become trapped.

“Please look before you lock - it could save a life."

For more information about protecting cats and other animals in your area visit the Cats Protection website.