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Follow Up to Earlier 'Cruelty To Cats'
This has been taken from BBC News site
The burning to death of four kittens at a house in County Londonderry was an accident, an assembly member has said.
The dead kittens were found after a grass fire at a house in Freehall Road in Castlerock earlier this month.
The UUP's David McClarty said the pensioner who lives at the house had set fire to marram grass unaware that the kittens were sheltering in it.
"The householder was completely shocked when she learned about the fate of the kittens," he said.
"The lady concerned regularly feeds a large number of stray cats who come to her. She loves the animals," he added.
"This incident involving the kittens is sadly a tragic accident which has left the woman distraught.
"She had a problem with overgrowing marram grass on her property and was advised that the only way to control its growth was to burn it, which in all innocence, she did.
"She had absolutely no idea the kittens were in the grass probably sheltering after a period of intense heavy rain."
Mr McClarty said the woman had been the subject of "dreadful abuse" from people calling at her home following the incident.
He called on people to now leave her alone.
"She has suffered enough hurt already. Having talked to her I am in no doubt that she did not know the kittens were in the grass," he said.
"This was an accident and I would ask the public at large to accept this fact and leave the woman alone." It is understood a fifth kitten was rescued after the fire, and although badly injured, rehomed.
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She must feel completely bereft at the thought of having unwittingly killed the kittens. Especially as she sounds like she's an animal lover 
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