THANK you. That is the message from staff at the Southampton Blue Cross after a flood of food donations met their plea for help with a growing numbers of kittens.

The centre, in Bubb Lane, West End, told how it was overwhelmed, currently caring for 37 kittens and also taking in unwanted pregnant cats.

As a result it needed kitten food, which it was running low on.

But the public appeal in last week’s Daily Echo pets page received an almost immediate response with many donations received over the weekend and beyond.

So far they have received 107 boxes of 12 pouches.

Centre manager Lara Alford said: “We’ve been completely overwhelmed by the fantastic response to our kitten food appeal and all of us here want to say a huge thank you to the generous Echo readers.”

n Kittens Victor, Neymar and Joe are pictured with some of the donated food.