A LYDNEY woman has spoken of her “shock” at being woken up by the painful cries of her neighbour’s cat in the middle of the night to discover its leg had been caught in an outlawed steel-jaw trap.

Trena Gwilliam, who lives in Harrison Way, awoke at 4am last Wednesday (October 26) to “screams” from her neighbour’s cat Belle, who often frequents her house and garden.

She went outside to find Belle bleeding on the ground with her leg caught in a steel-jaw gin trap - the use of which has been banned in England for 64 years.

Trena took Belle inside and cradled her on her kitchen floor before shouting for help from her daughter, Paige.

They then knocked on the door of Belle’s owner, Mel, and set about finding an emergency vet.

They drove Belle to the only vet they could find available in Knollbury, Caldicot, who contacted the RSPCA as they were unsure of how to remove the trap.

Belle was treated there before being sent back to Lydney for further care at Severnside Vets that morning.

She was later taken back to Trena’s house where she, Paige and her neighbour Becky continued to care for her.

Belle has been left severely injured and barely able to walk following the incident, with the trio even having to help her go to the toilet.

The neighbours are still waiting to hear what this means for Belle longer term, and fear her leg may have to be amputated.

Now Trena, Paige, Becky and owner Mel are appealing to the community to help them raise almost £900 to cover the cost of her treatment.

Trena said of the moment she found Belle: “I was so shocked and upset.

“It was her crying that shocked me the most at first - at that time of the morning - then when I found her and saw what had happened, I couldn’t stop crying.

“I struggled to even carry her - the trap was bigger than she was.”

The neighbours contacted the police later on Wednesday, who are now carrying out an investigation.

PC Cath McDay from the Rural Crime Team said: “To witness a pet in this situation is horrific – no one should have to go through this as a result of a careless person who has set a trap illegally – for whatever the intended purpose.

“Gin traps were banned for use in 1958, and the use of traps is governed by the Pests Act 1954.

“This style of trap is used to catch an animal by its leg or head using spring operated jaws with teeth and the injuries they cause can be horrific.

“Not only is setting a Gin Trap an offence, and one we take seriously, there are further offences which have been committed as a result of the suffering that has been caused to Belle.

“I would like pet owners in the Lydney area to be vigilant in relation to this incident and ask anyone with information to make contact with us.”

Gin traps were historically used to capture or kill small mammals such as badgers, foxes and rabbits.

It has been illegal to use, sell or own them for trapping in England since 1958, though instances of pets being caught in them are not uncommon even today.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “Gin traps are mechanical devices designed to catch an animal by its leg, using spring-operated jaws with teeth or serrated edges.

‘‘Although owning or selling a gin trap is not an offence, the use of gin traps has been outlawed in the UK since 1958, as well as the use of a legal spring trap that has been modified by having teeth cut into the jaws or fencing staples welded onto them.

“Despite this, some are still being illegally used to catch animals such as rabbits and foxes.

“Gin traps are indiscriminate. The victims can be wildlife, or family pets but whichever the animal, these traps cause a great deal of suffering and we are extremely concerned about their use.

“The RSPCA is opposed to the manufacture, sale and use of all snares and traps which cause suffering. Animals trapped like this will struggle when caught and may succeed in pulling the trap from its anchor only to die later from their injuries.”

The neighbours have set up a GoFundMe page to collect donations for Belle’s treatment, which can be found at www.gofund.me/18b3496e.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police using the form at www.gloucestershire.police.uk quoting incident 211 of October 29.