CRUEL thugs killed a rabbit by strapping fireworks to its body and letting them off, police have revealed.
Northumbria Police are urging anyone who knows anything about the incident to contact them urgently.
A force spokesman said it is thought the rabbit was wild and not a pet.
The badly injured rabbit was discovered in an underpass in the East Denton area of Newcastle with the detonated fireworks tied to its body.
It died a short time later and police are carrying out inquiries in a bid to track down the thugs.
Inspector Steve Robson said: "This was a terrible act of cruelty on a defenceless animal and officers are trying to find who is responsible.
"This incident highlights the injuries fireworks can cause in the wrong hands and it's beyond belief people could use them in such a way.
"On this occasion it was a defenceless animal, but it could easily have been a small child that was injured."
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