Lucky the kitten saved from Plymouth recycle van crusher Published duration 6 July 2012

image caption Lucky was saved from the recycling truck's crushing mechanism after bin men heard her cries

A three-week-old kitten who was dumped in a bin narrowly escaped being crushed by a recycling truck in Devon.

The female, named Lucky, was emptied into the back of a waste truck. Its crusher was stopped by two bin men who heard the kitten's cries.

The men, who were completing their round on Cornwall Street in Plymouth, saw the kitten fall from the crusher's blades.

Lucky was unharmed and has been adopted by staff at Devon Contract Waste.

image caption Lucky is fed every four hours

Donna Cook, from the company, said: "They were picking up recycling and when the truck up-ended, and as the crusher started pulling back the cardboard, they heard her screams.

"They stopped the crusher and out fell the kitten from its blades."

Lucky was taken to a local vet but was not injured in the incident.

Ms Cook said: "We can't have lids that are open because the rubbish would go everywhere, so someone has to have opened it. She was definitely dumped.

"If you put something in a bin you know where it is going to end up, and for someone to do that on purpose is horrific."