Buster, the eight-month-old kitten is lucky to be alive after a "despicable" attack forced vets to remove his tail.

The young kitten was found slumped and unable to move in a garden near his home in Earlham Road, Norwich.

When the ginger and white tom was taken to a vet, the owner discovered he had been swung around by his tail, battered and had his back legs "smashed".

Owner Amanda Hopkinson said: "Buster has the sweetest nature. He is the kindest, warmest, soppiest cat I've ever met. It's incomprehensible that someone has done this to him."

She added he normally "purrs like a motorbike" but has not purred as much since the attack on March 10.

Undated handout photo issued by the RSPCA of Buster, an eight-month-old ginger and white tom cat, who was discovered collapsed and injured by his owner after she heard meowing coming from a nearby garden in Earlham Road, Norwich

Buster was operated on and his tail removed because it was dislocated.

RSPCA inspector Ben Kirby said: "This was a despicable attack on a little kitten and would have caused great suffering.

"We would like to hear from anybody who has any information about this incident.

"Whatever happened, it must have been extremely frightening for the kitten and upsetting for the owners - Buster is lucky to be alive."

Anyone with information should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018.