There was shock among residents after a dead cat was found among fly-tipped rubbish.

The animal, which was described as being “badly decomposed”, was discovered on Silver Green in Fairstead.

West Norfolk Council and Freebridge Community Housing were made aware of the situation, with members of the public urging on social media for something to be done urgently about it.

The cat was found by a community-minded company, Army of Helpers, which was alerted about the pile of rubbish, and believed at the time the decomposed animal was a dog.

A spokesperson from the group said: “This has genuinely broken my heart. An animal has been found dead at this site, now badly decomposed, with rubbish piled around it.

“Whether the waste was dumped before it died or after, the fact that it has been left like this is disgraceful. It shows a complete lack of care and responsibility.

“I hope the council see this and acts urgently. This situation is unacceptable and deeply disturbing.”

The animal was removed from the area.

A spokesperson from Freebridge Community Housing said: “The item reported was a deceased animal, which was removed as soon as we were made aware. Some additional fly‑tipped waste has also been cleared, with remaining larger items due to be collected later today.

“We respond to reports of fly‑tipping as they are received and aim to act quickly to minimise impact. We encourage residents to report issues so we can take appropriate action and continue to manage fly‑tipping across our areas.”