Three adorable kittens had a narrow escape when workers at a dump spotted them in time to save them.

Workers at waste control firm Viridor's Beddington Lane landfill site spotted the young creatures in a pile of rubbish last week and by the end of the day they had been given homes.

Ricky Maybourne, site foreman, was walking near a pile of waste when he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye. On closer inspection, he realised there were three young, undernourished kittens cowering in the rubbish.

After a lengthy effort to rescue the animals, workers named them Lucky, Chance and Socks.

Eric Sarasketa, landfill manager said: "It was clear the poor kittens have been neglected for quite some time so we fed them and soon after a nap they settled and started scampering about.

"Three of our guys on site immediately fell for the cute kittens and decided to adopt them and give them loving homes. I dread to think what would have happened to them if they hadn’t been spotted. Socks, Chance and Lucky really are the luckiest kittens."

The charity Cats Protection said there is a surge in unwanted kittens every summer as unneutered cats breed in the warmer weather. The charity urged cat owners to have their pets neutered once they reach sexual maturity to avoid cases of cats being dumped.