Residents fear an evil "sicko" is trying to kill their beloved pets after sausages laced with suspected poison were found in back gardens.

At least two horrified homeowners in the Newington Road area of Ramsgate returned to discover the potentially-deadly food yesterday.

Along with the sausages, biscuits were also scattered across the gardens.

Nic Godfrey, who lives in Fairlight Avenue, says her wife had taken her two dogs for a walk and returned at about midday.

When she let the pooches out into the back garden, she was concerned to find little square biscuits had been scattered everywhere.

Then her young Rottweiler-crossbreed went over to the corner and suddenly ran off with something in its mouth.

Mrs Godfrey, 43, said: "My wife chased after him because he’s a little monkey and eventually he drops the sausage. Luckily, he has been taught to drop on command."

She discovered the sausage had been laced with green pellets, which she believes could be rat poison or slug killer.

It was assumed it had been an isolated incident until she had a knock at her door from a resident in neighbouring Cheriton Avenue later in the afternoon.

"We have a 6ft wall with a back alley between us and another neighbour who found one in her garden," Mrs Godfrey added.

"So someone walked along there, put their hand over and dropped the sausage down because it was in a corner, not the middle, of the garden."

Although the sausages are yet to be tested, Mrs Godfrey believes a "sicko" deliberately tried to poison her dogs.

"The concerning thing is we live by an alleyway and you expect rubbish but someone has gone around the back," she added.

"It has not just been chucked over - it has been put over the fence purposefully, the same as the lady opposite.

"I was shaking and livid that someone could even think about trying to kill my dogs."

She has also urged residents in the area to check their gardens before they let their animals out.

A police spokesperson confirmed officers were made aware of sausages and other food found in the back gardens of two homes in Fairlight Avenue and Cheriton Avenue.

They added: "Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances."

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet