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A group of kittens have been dumped outside a florist for the third time this year.

The latest incident happened on Saturday, October 24 when two kittens were dumped outside a florist in Meads Lane Ilford , Greater London.

Two kittens were abandoned in a cardboard box but someone disturbed the box before the florist owner got to it and one kitten is believed to have escaped.

The remaining kitten was rescued by the shop owner Lukshmi who kept the kitten – who has since been named Leia – safe until the RSPCA could collect her.

Lukshmi has been searching the local area to see if she can find the second kitten, and has been asking local residents to keep an eye out.

Lukshmi has said that this is now the third time boxes of kittens have been left outside her shop and each time they are left it happens on a Saturday morning and the kittens are inside cardboard boxes inside a grocery bag. Six-week-old kittens abandoned

The first incident happened on February 22 when four tabby kittens, thought to be around six weeks old, were abandoned outside the shop.

They were collected by the RSPCA and taken to the Harmsworth Animal Hospital before later being transferred to the care of the RSPCA Ashford, Tenterden & District Branch they have all been rehomed. Leia is now also being cared for by the branch. Three tabby kittens were abandoned outside the shop earlier this year (Image: RSPCA) The second incident happened on August 29 when three tabby kittens were left – again in a box outside the shop.

They were taken into the care of the RSPCA’s Friern Barnet branch and are now with fosterers who will be adopting them. ‘It is likely they are being abandoned by the same person’

RSPCA animal rescuer Siobhan Trinnaman said: "I am really concerned that kittens are being abandoned at the same location and as the kittens all look very similar it is likely they are being abandoned by the same person.

"I am also concerned that there could be another kitten which escaped. If anyone has any information regarding another kitten we would urge them to get in touch with us. We would ask people in the local area to please keep an eye out and perhaps look in small spaces in case this kitten has decided to take shelter and hide there."We are grateful to the florist for all her help in contacting us when this happens, it must be really upsetting to keep having kittens left at her location – and to not know why their shop is the one where […]