TWO fluffy bundles made a surprise arrival at a house in Weardale earlier this month.

Sarah Bennett was shocked when her cat, Mollie gave birth to two kittens, because her pet had been spayed.

Miss Bennett, 26, of Kirk Rise, Frosterley, said: "I couldn't believe my eyes, I thought she couldn't have kittens and had not realised she was pregnant. In fact, I thought she had gone through the operation twice. She must be destined to be a mum."

Miss Bennett had taken Mollie, who she found last spring by the roadside near Bishop Auckland, to a veterinary surgeon to be spayed.

But when she returned later in the day to collect the cat, Miss Bennett was told that it appeared to have already undergone the procedure.

She said: "I felt awful, thinking I'd put her through surgery twice and for no reason the second time, but I didn't know her background so presumed that was the cause.

"I already had one cat, Pumpkin, and had not planned for a second, but now there are four, with Pip and Pop the kittens, and I couldn't bear to part with any."

Veterinary surgeon Paul Wilson, of Wilson's Vets in Bishop Auckland, said: "I have heard of this happening before, although it is extremely rare.

"Surgeons usually attempt keyhole surgery so it can be difficult to locate the uterus, and if the cat's background wasn't known that could be why it was presumed it had already been spayed.

"Though if the cat was already in surgery I would probably open it up a little more to keep looking and be certain."