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Animal lovers have condemned a sick prank in which a rabbit was locked inside a POSTBOX.

A postman discovered the animal when he went to collect the mail from the postbox in Maltby, South Yorkshire.

The rabbit was said to be scared but unhurt and was taken to a nearby RSPCA centre.

It had been stolen from a hutch in a garden in the town and the thief had then opened the postbox and put it inside.

A number of people offered to rehome the animal, but it has been returned to its owner.

A spokeswoman for the RSPCA said: "The rabbit was found in a postbox in Tickhill Road, Maltby, by the postman who came to empty it.

"Fortunately the rabbit was fine and had no injuries despite its ordeal. We managed to trace the owner who said that the rabbit had been taken from its hutch in her garden.

"Clearly this was a silly prank that could have resulted in the rabbit being seriously hurt. If anyone knows anything about this incident they can contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999."

(Image: TWITTER / @RyanTbooth)

A spokeswoman for Royal Mail said: "It was certainly an unusual incident and we are just glad that the rabbit was fine and is now in safe hands."

The incident caused outrage with people tweeting their disgust.

One said: "Horrible people, they need banging up."

Another said: "Omg why would someone do that, really sick people out there!!"

Earlier this month, thugs stole a rabbit from a hutch in Seaham, County Durham, and posted a video of the animal being tortured to death and thrown from a window.